Trusting is hard, Knowing who to trust even harder
by airedalegirl1
Summary: Winner of the poll for the next story. Bella disappears in Phoenix after eluding her protectors but did she go willingly or was she forced and why? Someone has to find her and Jasper feels it must be him, after all she was lost on his watch. Can he do it and how long will it take him to understand what drives him to keep her safe? J/B
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Bella

I put the phone down my mind racing, how was I going to get away from Alice and Jasper, if I couldn't then Renee was dead. Sneaking out of the hotel room was going to be almost impossible so when Alice suggested we leave for the airport early I saw a possible way of getting clear of the others but if I decided to skip out Alice would see and stop me. As we drove to the airport I saw Alice watching me in the mirror, she was suspicious about something, perhaps I wasn't acting how I should. I just wished I'd never gone to the baseball game or at least that Edward were here already but then if he were I would have no chance of getting away to meet James and Renee would be dead. Everything was going round and round in my head. Jasper turned,

"Don't worry so much Bella, Edward will be here soon."

When we got there I sat waiting with the two of them trying to gauge just the right time to act knowing that the minutes were ticking away to the dead line James had set me. Alice kept suggesting I eat but I put her off until I had no choice but to act,

"I think I will get something Alice but would you mind if Jasper came with me? Only I'm feeling very nervous and I was hoping Jasper might help me keep calm."

"Of course Bella. Just don't take too long."

She smiled brightly as he got up with a smile of encouragement.

I remembered that one of the rest rooms at the airport had two exits and if I was lucky I could escape Jasper by taking the second. Would Alice see this? Or would she be blind to my actions until I actually decided to act? I hated deceiving Jasper and Alice but I knew James would carry out his threat to kill my mother if I didn't go alone to the studio. It had been a source of torment when I was a little girl, Renee thought ballet would make me less clumsy and more confident, and was continuing to be as an adult. Jasper walked beside me wary, he felt my own nerves and was on high alert for James, after all he must be in Phoenix or Alice wouldn't have seen me at the Ballet Studio. I waited until we were close to the rest rooms I wanted then stopped,

"Jasper I need a few minutes."

He looked at the door and nodded with a ghost of a smile on his face,

"No problem Bella. I'll be right outside waiting."

I nodded,

"Thank you and Jasper..."

"Yes Bella?"

"Thanks for everything. It can't have been easy travelling all this way in a car with me."

"Actually Bella I find your company quite relaxing."

He looked at his watch,

"You'd better hurry. Edwards plane will be landing soon and you haven't eaten yet. You may have to decide what you want quickly."

I wasn't sure I understood him but I smiled and went into the rest rooms glancing round to make sure Alice hadn't followed us, getting some inkling of what I was about to do, but seeing nothing to worry me I ran to the other exit.

I didn't have time to vacillate, Jasper might come looking for me at any moment or Alice seeing what I planned, so I pushed the door open and ran out into the concourse at the other side of the airport terminal. I knew there was a cab rank outside so I pulled the money out of my pocket and slid into the front cab, calling out my destination to the driver who took off as if realizing how urgent my journey was. I sat back whispering a goodbye to Edward and apology to Alice and Jasper. I had no idea what I was going to do when I got to the ballet studio, how did I know that James would keep his word and let Renee go? I could get there to find her already dead and me about to follow her. I just hoped Victoria hadn't joined him, she frightened me more than James did, I could see avarice and cruelty in her eyes while his just held a need to have me, or at least my blood. As Edward had said, it was the thrill of the chase that gave him his kicks. Well he was going to be satisfied soon, he would have me and then with luck Charlie would be safe too. I hoped James wouldn't go back to Forks to finish my family off but how would the Cullens explain my disappearance, and Renee's if James had killed her, to Charlie. Would we become just two more women who walked out of the door, never to be seen again?

Jasper

I waited, becoming more uneasy the longer Bella was out of sight, I didn't for one moment think she was in danger here with us but we were responsible for her. After five minutes I asked a woman going in to the rest room if she could check on my sister who was feeling a little unwell.

"Her name's Bella, Bella Swan"

The woman smiled and promised to be back in a few seconds and she was, but only to tell me that there was no one of that name or looking like my sister in the rest room.

"Maybe she got confused and went out the other door. It happens sometimes."

I cursed silently knowing Bella had given me the slip, she had asked me to go with her not to keep her calm but to give her the opportunity to slip away knowing I couldn't accompany her into the rest room. It was far too late to try and track her, besides I thought I knew where she was going, to the Ballet Studio where she took lessons when she was a little girl. Somehow James had lured her there alone but how? Then I remembered the phone call from her mother, had it really been her mother? Or had it been James? Had he used her mothers safety to lure her away from us?

I ran back to join Alice whose face fell when she saw I was alone,

"Where's Bella?"

I explained and as I finished we saw Edwards flight status change to landed.

"Do we have any idea where this ballet studio is?"

Alice shook her head then closed her eyes, trying to see what was going on.

"I can't see her Jazz, she's disappeared from sight. Some thing's happened to her and we have to explain it to Edward. We were supposed to be keeping her safe, he's going to hit the roof if we can't find her."

"You stay here, fill Edward in, I'll try to track her down, we have her mothers address and maybe I'll be lucky."

I left before she had time to argue, I lost Bella and it was my responsibility to find her again. Once outside the terminal and out of sight of human eyes I started to run keeping in the shelter of the darkness in the trees until I got into Phoenix itself when I had to be more careful. Finding Renee's neighbourhood wasn't difficult but finding the road was and when I eventually found Renee's house I could see it was in darkness, no one was home. Going round the back I forced my way in through a kitchen window and as soon as I got inside I could smell James. So he had come looking for Bella's mother, presumably to use as a lure for Bella. Chances were it was he who had rung Bella not her mother at all. I checked the house, he'd been through all the rooms but I couldn't see anything out of place then I heard a car door and the sound of footsteps approaching the front of the house. Cursing I slipped out and stood in the shadows waiting to see who it was. The sound of a key in the door told me it was someone with every right to be there and as the lights were turned on I recognised Renee from a picture Bella had. So James didn't have Bella's mother! But perhaps Bella thought he had. She was alone and completely unaware anyone had been in the place until she saw the window I had forced, then she stopped dead and took out her cell phone dialling 911 as she went back outside as fast as she could into the safety of the street. I couldn't afford to stay any longer, not with the police on their way.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Edward

I was first off the plane, eager to have Bella in my arms again and to know she was safe. While I had every faith in Alice and Jasper's ability to look after my Bella I felt it was my responsibility and I would take her away, far away until the others found and killed James and his mate Victoria. I had to keep Bella safe, if anything happened to her as a result of coming into our world I would never forgive myself. Carlisle and Emmett hurried to catch up with me and I looked around hoping to hear her shout my name in relief but I couldn't see her anywhere, then I spotted Alice but she appeared to be alone and from the look on her face I knew something terrible had happened. I rushed over to her, grabbing her none too gently by the arm.

"Where's Bella? Is she with Jasper? What's happened Alice? Tell me."

Carlisle took my arm and pulled it free of Alice,

"Edward you're making a scene. Lets sit down and Alice can tell us what's happened."

He guided me to some seats away from the crush of people and Alice sat beside me.

"I'm not sure what happened Edward. I had a vision of Bella and James in a ballet studio, one Bella recognised when I drew it, she used to go there when she was a little girl. Renee rang and Bella spoke to her, not long before we left for the airport. She went to get something to eat with Jasper..."

"Why him?"

Carlisle looked at me slightly shocked at my tone,

"Edward, Jasper was looking after Bella the same as the rest of us."

Alice shot him a look of gratitude before continuing,

"She asked him to go with her and I thought she wanted his help to keep calm but he came back alone. He told me she gave him the slip in the rest rooms. There were two exits and she took the other one."

"Maybe she got confused Alice, did you think of that? She's scared and upset, she might have gone out the wrong door by mistake."

"Then why didn't she come back to me, or find Jazz? No Edward she had a reason for giving us the slip."

"Really? What exactly? And where is she Alice? You must be able to see her."

Alice shook her head,

"I can't Edward, she's just disappeared from my sight."

"Well then try this one Alice, where's Jazz?"

"He's gone to her mothers to try to locate the ballet studio."

"Has he contacted you yet?"

"No, but he hasn't been gone that long Edward."

I didn't like the hesitation in her voice as she replied to me.

We piled into a cab and headed for Renee's address hoping to find Jasper, Renee, and Bella there safe but as the cab driver let us out in the next street we could tell something had happened. There were blue flashing lights everywhere and police with dogs searching the hedges and gardens. Carlisle motioned for us to back away out of sight while he went to speak to one of the police officers. They stood heads close together for a few minutes then Carlisle nodded and walked off with him.

"Where the hell is he going?"

"He'll be back soon Edward just wait."

I glared at Alice, what did she know about anything, I was terrified for Bella.

Emmett looked up,

"I'm going to see if I can find the dance studio, I'll meet you back here soon. I smell trouble."

Alice

As he ran off I looked up too, there was an orange glow in the sky, something was ablaze. Edward wanted to follow him but I held him back,

"Wait for Carlisle."

"Why hasn't Jasper called in Alice? Does he know where she is? Did he take her?"

"Edward please. Why would Jasper hurt Bella? We were looking after her for you."

"Yeah, and I was stupid enough to trust him, and you."

"Edward that's uncalled for. We looked after her, she ran away from us we didn't just lose her."

"So why would she run away unless you frightened her?

"Frightened her? Us? Edward she was terrified of James not us. And don't you dare blame Jazz for this, he's been brilliant with her."

"Yeah I'll bet. If he's been so good at looking after her just where the hell is he Alice? Are you sure he hasn't taken off with her? I don't trust him."

"We all know that Edward so if you distrust him so much why did you agree to let us take care of her?"

"Because I thought, stupidly as it turns out, that you could keep him on a leash."

Carlisle

I introduced myself to the police officer as a doctor and he looked relieved asking me to accompany him to see a lady who had been the victim of a break in. Bella's mother sat on the couch white-faced and shaking a police woman holding a mug of coffee for her.

"Ma'am, this is a doctor. Maybe you can tell him what happened to you."

She looked at me and managed a wan smile before starting to cry again,

"I came in from the car and when I got inside I knew someone had been here. It felt strange as if someone were lurking in the dark. My TV remote was in my chair along with the remote for the DVD player and I always leave them on the table. I saw the kitchen window had been forced so I ran back outside and called 911."

"Have you looked at the DVD? Perhaps there's a message on there."

She shook her head so the police officer turned it on and we all watched. It was an old film taken of Bella when she was a little girl and as Renee saw it she started to cry once more.

"I'd only had that transferred onto DVD recently, its my daughter Bella."

"What was your daughter doing?"

She looked at me wiping her eyes,

"Doing? Oh she was at a ballet recital. She'd tripped over and was upset, I found her hiding in a store cupboard. She told me she hated ballet and she hated me, she was going to run away if I forced her to go any more. What does it mean? My daughter doesn't even live with me now. She's with her father in Forks Washington. He's the Chief of Police."

The Police officer looked at me before bending down to address her again,

"I'm very sorry, we've already spoken to your ex husband, Chief Swan. He rang us because your daughter left his place three days ago headed back here and he hasn't heard anything from her since."

"Here why?"

"There was some kind of problem with her boyfriend. They had a terrible row and she wanted to come home to you. I take it you haven't heard from her?"

Renee shook her head,

"No, not a word. Unless she's left a message on my phone, I haven't been here for a few days, my husband has been away at a training camp. He plays baseball, minor league and I was staying with a friend."

"Would you mind if we listened to your messages?"

She shook her head and he went over to switch on her answer machine as I took her hand in mine and checked her pulse, her heart was rapid but she was scared and emotional. Did the DVD have anything to do with James and his luring Bella away?

"Mum, just to let you know I've left Forks. I had a falling out with Edward and dad. I'll see you soon I guess or I'll ring you so please don't worry. Bye, Oh I tried your cell phone but it wasn't switched on as usual."

The police officer looked at her,

"Your cell phone?"

"I lost the power cord so the battery is flat. It's in the drawer."

She pointed to a dresser and he pulled the drawer open, it was full of wires, paper, pens, batteries, and all sorts of rubbish and in the middle was a cell phone which he took out and switched on. He nodded,

"Yeah its dead all right."

I'm sure he had noticed the difference in the messages Bella had left Renee and the one she had told Charlie. According to him she was headed back to Phoenix but she hadn't told her mother that in so many words, leaving it ambiguous. Had James got the idea for the ballet studio after breaking in and looking at the DVD?

"Ma'am are you sure you didn't leave the DVD in the machine when you left the house? It seems strange that a burglar should want to watch DVDs."

Renee looked confused as she blew her nose before answering him,

"I don't think so but I guess I might have."

Another police officer came in then and spoke quietly to the first who looked up sharply,

"The ballet studio on the film, is it close by?"

"Yes just a few streets away, why?

"Its been torched and I wonder if the two might be connected."

Renee's face drained of any remaining colour and she sat back crying even louder.

"It will be some hours before we can search the remains of the building Mrs Dwyer but in the meantime we'll leave a police woman with you."

What he was saying in effect was that he thought perhaps Bella's body would be discovered in the debris! I excused myself leaving Renee with the police and hoping he was wrong in this case.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Emmett

I was right, the shit was hitting the fan, the building that was burning had a large sign board hanging outside, "Ballet Studio". The building was well ablaze but I couldn't smell anything to make me think Bella was inside. If she'd come here she was gone now and although I circled the area I couldn't pick up any trace of her but I did smell James trail. He at least had been here but where had he gone now? Had he started the fire? And more to the point where the hell was Jasper? Edward was going to do his nut when he found out Bella had vanished and so had Jazz. I couldn't see any point in hanging around here so I went back to Bella's mums to find Carlisle had rejoined Alice and Edward who was pacing back and forth.

"We need to go back to Forks right now."

"Leave? Without Bella are you mad Carlisle?"

"Edward, the police have been in contact with Charlie and he told them about the row you two had. If they find out you are here they will link you to her disappearance. Esme can cover for us, we're trying to track Bella down but we can't afford to be found here. Its far too dangerous."

"What about Bella? Where's Jasper?"

"I don't know but I've arranged a private flight back to Portland and we need to go now."

Edward shook his head but Carlisle nodded to me and I took his arm,

"Edward we'll find her, Jasper is probably on her trail as we speak. He'll be in touch soon but we have to go now, all of us. We can't get caught up in this."

Carlisle

We more or less had to drag Edward back to the airport and onto the private plane I had chartered for our flight back home. Esme had rung to tell me Charlie had visited, wanting to know where Edward was and if she knew what had happened between Edward and Bella.

"I told him that you and Edward had driven after Bella but hadn't found her and were on your way back. He didn't seem to notice how quiet the house was and didn't stay long but he looked terrible Carlisle. What has happened?"

"We don't really know. Bella disappeared from the airport before we landed and Jasper has disappeared too."

"Do you think they are together?"

"No, Esme really! He went to Renee's to try to find her and that's the last anyone saw of him although I smelled him in her house so he was certainly there. The last place Alice saw Bella was in a ballet studio but its been burned down, it was on fire when we got there. If you hear anything at all please get to back me straight away."

Edward sat stonily looking out the window unspeaking and ignoring the rest of us while Emmett paced around unable to settle and questioning Alice every few minutes but she just shook her head. For some reason she wasn't seeing Bella or Jasper and I know this not only worried but also angered her.

I sat down beside her and took her hand in mine,

"Alice do you have any idea why you aren't seeing Bella or Jasper?"

She shook her head her eyes sparkling with venom,

"Can you see anything? Did you see anything before they disappeared? Anything at all?"

"I saw the ballet studio, Bella recognised it when she saw the picture I drew. I went down to organise a cab for the airport and Jazz stayed with Bella, he said she felt unworthy of our efforts but he spoke to her about it and said she seemed happier afterwards. When we got to..."

Edward appeared his face in Alice's and his voice much too loud,

"You left her alone with him? Why? You know what he is Alice."

I pushed him backwards,

"Edward enough. Jasper isn't responsible for Bella vanishing. She ran from him and he went to try to find her, now for heaven's sake calm down and back off."

I glared at him and he sat back down but closer to us as I turned back to Alice.

"Are you seeing anything at all Alice?"

She nodded,

"I see Charlie flying to Phoenix and he and Renee hunting the area for Bella but not finding her. I don't see anyone finding her Carlisle. I have no idea where she's gone but someone must have helped her or I'd be able to see her."

"Who though Alice? And why?"

"I don't know Edward, I've no idea so stop glaring at me."

Charlie

I went back to the Cullens because I had no idea what else to do and I needed answers, I'd spoken to Renee but she didn't know anything and a police doctor had finally turned up and put her on tranquilizers while Phil had come back from his training camp to be with her. We were still hoping Bella might turn up on her doorstep and I had arranged to go down there at the weekend if we had no news by then. Carlisle opened the door this time which relieved me, I was more comfortable talking to him although I wasn't so pleased when Edward joined us.

"Have you heard anything at all Carlisle?"

"I'm sorry Charlie but no. She hasn't rung here or on Edwards cell phone. Has Renee had any luck?"

"No, not since the call to say she was leaving Forks. The police have contacted all the departments on the route she should have taken and they're checking all the motels but no one remembers her and no room was rented by a young woman looking like her or using her name. What happened Edward? What did you fight about?"

"It was my fault Chief Swan. I think she thought I was getting too serious, I think she was scared of staying in Forks, being trapped like her mum, at least that's what she said."

"But she was fine when you left for the baseball game."

"I know, but I think she panicked when I started making plans for us and she freaked out."

"I'm not surprised, are you crazy? She's far too young for making plans with anyone, she has a future, she's bright. She should be planning college not getting serious with a boy."

"I know and Carlisle spoke to me about it afterwards, I'm very sorry and I'm as concerned as you are."

"I doubt that Edward, I really doubt that. Not only has she vanished into thin air but Renee had a break in and the ballet studio nearby was burned down."

"Ballet studio?"

He looked confused and I realised he wouldn't know anything about that.

"Yes, the one Bella went to when she was little and someone had been watching a DVD of Bella at the studio although that could have been Renee rather than whoever broke in, she's pretty vague about it. I'm flying to Phoenix tomorrow but I want your word if you hear anything at all you'll ring me."

"Of course Chief and if you hear anything?"

"I'll let you know."

"Edward and I thought we might do the drive ourself, see if we can find any sighting of her or the truck. That's noticeable enough."

"Yes, there's been no sighting of that either and as you say it sticks out."

Carlisle

The fact it was parked under dust covers in a garage Emmett had rented in Portland was one we were keeping to ourselves for now. Where the hell had Bella gone with limited resources, even in a city she knew, and how had she managed to stay under the radar? We still hadn't heard anything from Jasper either which concerned me almost as much. Edward was convinced he had taken Bella somehow although he couldn't explain why his brother might want to and Alice's inexplicable blindness was a concern too. There was a lot more going on here than we understood at present. I was pleased at the way Edward had handled the interview, especially his feigned confusion about the ballet studio, I had been concerned he might give away the fact that we knew more than we should. Emmett had flown back to Phoenix to trace Jasper or Bella and Rose had disappeared down there too on hearing what had happened. It surprised us all that Rosalie who was quite open bout her dislike of Bella would do so but then she was deep. There was no sign of James or Victoria in Forks and Charlie seemed to be free of surveillance which could mean either one or both of them knew where Bella was, perhaps they had her after all and if they did we could search for her indefinitely and never find her. I wondered if this possibility had occurred to Edward? If it hadn't he would soon read it in my thoughts.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Alice

I waited until Charlie had driven away before coming downstairs, shaking my head in response to the question I knew Edward would ask as soon as he saw me.

"I have nothing for you Edward. You tried Bella and found it switched off, I tried Jazz again and no reply. What do you want me to say?"

"You must see something Alice, if not Bella then Jazz or are you covering for him? Did he do something? Did he hurt her? I need to know Alice."

"I don't know anything Edward except that Jazz would never hurt Bella, I'm sure he wouldn't. I don't know where they've gone or if they are together but I'm sure they'll have a good reason whatever they have done. The other thing to remember is that Bella went missing first. Jazz didn't disappear until later."

"Well that doesn't mean he couldn't have killed her and hid the body then appeared with a story of her running away. After all why should she run? You were looking after her, keeping her safe. Anyway we only have your word for it that Bella was ever at the airport. You could be covering for him. Did he go crazy and attack her in the hotel room? Have you hidden her somewhere because he bit her?"

"He had no reason to harm her Edward, this is stupid."

"Well Alice then tell me the alternative, what could take her and then later my warrior vampire brother too?"

"I know Jazz was at Renee's, I could smell him Edward. If he was responsible for Bella's disappearance why would he visit Renee's?"

"Who knows with him Carlisle, maybe he was covering his tracks, maybe he was going to kill Renee too and was foiled when she panicked. I think he's in it up to his neck."

Carlisle

When Esme persuaded Edward to hunt with her I took Alice's arm and led her up to my study,

"What have you seen Alice? Or did you feel something? I saw the expression on your face, something occurred to you and you need to tell me or have you heard from him? Tell me Edward isn't right about Jasper attacking Bella. You aren't covering for him are you Alice?"

"No, it's just that I don't see him any more Carlisle."

"You mean you don't know where he is."

"No, I mean he's just vanished."

"But that's impossible."

She shook her head,

"Well impossible or not its the truth, I don't see him now but if I tell Edward that he'll be convinced I'm covering for Jazz. The only time I couldn't see Bella was when she was with Jake but she's gone too. I don't see either of them now."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes and I'm getting a little tired of being treated like a tame tracker dog. I don't know where they are or what's happened just that they are gone. Bella was at the airport, she went off with Jazz and when he came back he was alone. He told me she'd given him the slip and he was going looking for her, and no I didn't see what happened so don't ask me."

I let her go, she was getting really upset now that everyone thought she was hiding something. Shutting the door of my study I rang Eleazer, the only person I could think o to talk to about the situation, someone who might be able to shed some light on this mystery. Carmen answered but hearing the worry in my voice she called Eleazer to the phone.

"Carlisle is something wrong?"

"I'm afraid so. I told you about Edwards human girlfriend Bella, well she's gone missing."

"What do you mean missing?"

I explained everything to him and waited for a response,

"So let me get this right, not only has Bella gone missing but Jasper too? Lets see if we can make sense of this, stop me if I make a mistake. Alice and Jasper took Bella to Phoenix to keep her safe from James. Whose idea was Phoenix Carlisle?"

"I don't remember, it all happened so quickly with everyone trying to help, Alice or Jasper I think."

"Why?"

"I've no idea, why not?"

"Well wouldn't it have been better to bring her to us for added protection? Did she have a safe place there or did they?"

"Not as far as I'm aware although Bella's mother still lives in Phoenix. She's moving to Florida soon."

"Then wouldn't going there be a bad move? If James or Victoria found out her history they might well go there thinking she was running to her mother."

"I hadn't thought about that."

"Well that's the first unanswered question to remember. You said Alice saw her at a ballet studio in town, one she went to as a child and there was a DVD of Bella at the studio in the machine at Bella's mothers?

"Yes that's right but Renee couldn't remember if she'd left it in there or not."

"OK lets leave that. The studio burned down, so who set fire to it and why? Was James in there? Was Bella in there? If not why burn it? It just confuses things."

"It could cover a murder or a vampire kill but there were no human remains in the wreck of the building but Emmett said he smelled James there."

"So we're left with another mystery there. IF James was there did he draw Bella to him and if he did what made him set the fire? Lets go on. Who actually saw Bella in Phoenix?"

"What?"

"Carlisle the only witness you have is Alice. She says they were at the hotel in Phoenix, she says they went to the airport, she says Bella went missing and Jasper came back alone, she says he went looking for her. It's all Alice's word."

"But why would Alice lie about it? And if they weren't there then what happened?"

I don't know, has Alice tried looking for them? Are you sure the two are connected?"

"Aren't you Eleazer?"

"I don't know. What I don't understand is why Alice can't see either of them."

"I was hoping you might have some answers for me not more questions Eleazer, and Edward is ready to blame Jasper for everything."

"You don't think he is responsible though do you Carlisle?"

"No, or at least not until Alice told me she couldn't see him any longer. Could he have broken his relationship with Alice in order to be with Bella?"

"Well its one theory but alternatively he could be dead of course. Was Alice able to see Bella before she disappeared?"

"Yes unless she was on the reservation but that might have something to do with the Quileutes I suppose. She's always see Jasper though but now he seems to have vanished too. I don't like it Eleazer, there's something strange going on. I can't see James killing Jasper, he's a tracker not a fighter and even with Victoria's help it would be unlikely. You know his history.

"Yes, I think you're right but why isn't he keeping in contact with you or at least Alice? It doesn't look good for him Carlisle."

I had to agree with Eleazer but I couldn't believe that Jasper was responsible for what happened or that Alice was lying, which left me no better off.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Bella

I had no idea where I was or what had happened to me, one minute I was getting into a cab ready to meet James and die to keep Renee safe and the next I was here in this strange place. My head was woolly and I felt a little sick but I groped around until I felt a lamp and switched it on. This was the oddest room I had ever been in, there was no window, just two doors. No carpet on the floor only rough concrete with a small rag rug by the bed which I was laying on. The other furniture was equally mismatched and strange, an old rusting filing cabinet which served as a bedside locker with a jug of water and a tumbler standing on it. Then over by the wall was a battered arm-chair with a small coffee table covered in magazines. I got up and walked over to one of the doors opening it cautiously. Inside was an old washstand with a bowl, soap, and a towel on the shelf and a camping toilet. Was I going to be here sometime then? I went back into the main room and tried the other door expecting it to be locked but it too opened but it didn't lead to an exit, instead there was a tiny room, more of a closet really and in there was a full water cooler, an old battered kettle, some tins and packets of food, cutlery, and a small saucepan all on a work bench made of old stained wood and at one end was a gas burner with three spare cartridges and an electronic lighter laying to one side. So no exit that I could see, how had I ended up in here. I listened but I couldn't hear any noise at all at first but then as I stood I could feel more than hear a low rumble as if something big were moving across the ground outside somewhere. I checked my pockets and everything I'd stuffed in them was still there, my money, my driver's license then I thought of something and ran to my jacket which hung over the arm chair. In the inside pocket I felt the outline of my cell phone. Pulling it out and praying that the battery wasn't flat I turned it on only to be faced with no signal. Damn! I walked around the room just in case there was a signal somewhere but not until I stepped into the bathroom did I see the first bar flicker into view. As soon as it did the phone beeped, incoming texts and voice mail. The battery strength was good so I decided to see who had been trying to contact me. Edward, Charlie, Renee, Jasper, and a number I didn't recognize. I read the texts, Edward and Charlie got steadily more worried and angry that I wasn't replying while Jasper's seemed to get more anxious. I retrieved the voice mails, again Edward and Charlie, both frantic with worry but then the tone of Edwards changed as if he'd suddenly decided he knew what was going on.

"Bella, the least you could do is have the decency to own up to the fact you've run off with Jasper Hale although what would possess you to look at an animal like him I have no idea. How could you do this to me? I'm a laughing-stock in the family and Alice is devastated. As for Charlie, well if he doesn't hear from you soon I'll tell him myself."

Jasper? But what about James and Victoria? Why did he assume I was with Jasper when by his own admission I was running for my life from a deadly tracker?

The last message was the most chilling though, a voice I didn't recognize.

"Bella, I'm sure you are very confused round about now so listen carefully and I'll explain how the game is played. You are bait, pure and simple. You don't mean anything to me, you are just a means to an end. It's your mate I want and you will bring him to me. Your cell phone will not work unless I allow it, you will not be fed and watered unless I allow it, you will not survive unless I allow it. Now here is your first task. I want you to write a text, exactly as I tell you. You will write help me. I don't know where I am and I'm scared. Please find me. When you have done that I want you to go to the armchair and pull it forward. You will find a recess, put the phone in there and push the arm-chair back into position. When you have done that you can eat and I suggest you take two of the tablets by the kettle, they will help with the effects of the gas."

I tried ringing Edward but the signal bar had disappeared again and I cursed then went and pulled the chair forward. Sure enough there was a recess and I did as I'd been instructed then pushed the chair back but settled myself to watch over the top to see what would happen.

The next thing I knew I came round feeling sick and dizzy slumped over the chair and putting a hand over my mouth I ran to the toilet and vomited until my stomach and throat were sore and I felt exhausted. I got myself a tumbler of water and went back to the armchair slumping down in it until the room stopped spinning. I heard a beeping and pulled the chair away again to find my cell phone in the recess, the screen lit up and buzzing. I reached in and took it out looking for my message but it had disappeared, instead there was a note attached to the back of the phone.

"Bella next time do as you are instructed, it will be far less unpleasant if you do. Get something to eat and drink and wait for a call. Do not attempt to use your phone, you only have a signal when I allow it remember.

He/She was right, there were no signal bars showing but I was curious so I scrolled down to the sent box and sure enough my message had been sent but not to Edwards number but Jasper's. So my captor wasn't as smart as he, or she, thought. The only good thing was that at least Edward would know I was alive and not running around with his brother which brought up a puzzling question, where was Jasper? Surely he'd gone back to Alice when I skipped out. If so why did Edward think we were together? I went through to the kitchen and pulled out a few dry crackers, my stomach rebelled at the thought of anything more substantial and went to sit down again taking the bottle of tablets with me. The message had said they would help with the effects of the gas, so had I been gassed in the cab? And here? But who knew I would be taking a cab from the airport except James? Was he behind this? If so why didn't he wait for me to come to him?


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Jasper

I couldn't go back without Bella, they would all think I had something to do with her disappearance, besides she had been in my care when she vanished. I had a responsibility to find her and I tried everything, I went from Renee's house back to the airport to try to trail her, her scent led to the cab rank outside and with a little persuasion and a lot of cash I was able to determine that she had taken a cab but no one knew where the cab had taken her, he was an irregular driver. Bella had vanished and I had to find her, I just had to. I spent the next week looking, finding every cab driver who worked the airport even the illegal ones until I finally got a break. One of the regular drivers had seen an illegal cab do a pick up at the airport and heard the destination, the ballet studio, but I was pretty sure Bella never got there, if she had then I was too late, she would be dead at James hand. I needed to find the cab and the driver and I was told he turned up often to steal fares although he was run off just as often by the regulars. As I waited for him I suddenly realized I hadn't thought of Alice since I left Renee's house days ago. I hadn't given her a thought and I hadn't felt her absence, something had changed. I didn't feel a pull to her any longer, something had broken the link and I had no idea what unless it was guilt at failing the family, failing Alice by not keeping Edwards girlfriend safe when she had promised Edward we would. My phone had rung over and over but I put it on silent, after all if I answered what would I say? I had no answers for Edward or anyone else and this was enough to drive me on, the need for answers.

The very next evening I caught up with the scum bag and he unknowingly took the last fare he would ever take when he picked me up,

"Where to?"

"Scottsdale."

"Sure thing. You live in Phoenix?"

"No, I'm looking for someone actually."

"Oh right. A girlfriend or wife? You know where you need to look?"

"As a matter of fact I do. Right here."

I punched a hole in the security screen, snaked an arm around his neck, and pulled hard enough to make him choke,

"Pull over or I'll break your neck."

He pulled over fast coughing and choking.

"I don't carry any money."

"I'm not interested in money. I want to know where you took a fare two weeks ago. A young woman who asked you to drop her at a ballet studio in Scottsdale."

He tensed and I pulled a little harder,

"Where did you take her?"

"Are you a cop?"

I didn't answer just pulled harder and his face started to go red.

"OK, I had a job, pick up the girl and take her to an address, which I did."

"And she just sat in the back and didn't notice you took her to the wrong place?"

He hesitated and I pulled on his throat again making him choke and his lips go blue when he finally signalled that he was willing to talk.

"OK, Whoever it was they set me up with a special cab. A gas cannister went off in the back but the instructions told me it wouldn't kill her, just knock her out."

"And that didn't worry you at all?"

"Hell no, they said they were working for her husband, that she was running with his money and the job paid me well."

"Did you get a name?"

He shook his head slightly,

"No, it was all done by note They left messages at my place arranging it all. I picked up the car from a shopping mall car park and returned it there afterwards."

"So you had no name? No contact number? The payment just appeared by magic?"

"No, it was in my post box. Half before the job, the other half after I did it. The keys to the cab were delivered the same way."

"Did you spend the money?"

He nodded,

"Good, because you'll never spend any more."

I twisted sharply and heard his neck snap. Then opening his door I threw his body out and got in the drivers seat.

I turned the cab round headed for the area the cabbie had taken Bella that night but as I did so my phone buzzed yet again. I ignored it but it kept going and every time it rang off unanswered it started again so I pulled over to the roadside and took it from my pocket, the number was one I recognised although I hadn't seen it in a long while. I waited until it stopped and picked up my messages deleting those from Edward although there were still none from Alice. I listened to the voice mail,

"Are you in the shit again Major?"

So Peters radar was working overtime, for now I ignored it because the last text was one I did want, it had come from Bella's cellphone, the first since she had disappeared. I read it quickly cursing as I did so and ringing her only to find her phone was out of range or switched off again. I sent a text back hoping that it would be picked up soon then I tapped the address the cabbie had given me into the Sat Nav and followed its instructions until I found myself in an Industrial district with hundreds of small units, car repairs, computer solutions, tool makers, almost anything you could imagine.

Pulling up short of my goal I left the cab continuing on foot keeping to the pools of shadow which were plentiful when half the street lights were broken. I saw movement occasionally but no one approached which was just as well, anyone getting in my way was likely to meet with a sudden end. This wasn't James style but I guessed it could be Victoria's, perhaps she was holding Bella for her mate. I had no idea why but then there was a lot I didn't know yet. For some reason I felt I was getting close to Bella although I had no idea how I knew, it was a feeling deep inside, she was here in one of these units or close to them. Thinking about her message though I wondered if this might be a trap, would whoever had taken her think of the cab driver? After all he was a loose end, very careless or very clever. The number the driver gave me was ahead and to my right so I melted further into the darkness and watched, looking for any sign of life, a guard perhaps, Victoria, or even dogs? I knew that if Bella were still here it wasn't of her own free will which meant she was a prisoner and possibly guarded. If it wasn't Victoria and I was leaning that way then I was confused, there was nothing in Bella's life that would lead to a kidnap until she became involved with Edward and even then the only person who was looking for her was James as far as I knew. Victoria had been seen in Forks by Esme so she couldn't have been responsible for the snatch itself and Carlisle believed Laurent's statement that he was staying out of the business, besides he'd warned us how dangerous James was so why would he attempt anything that would lead James to him? This meant that they had another associate and that was unlikely. Of course James himself was still on the loose somewhere and it was possible he had Bella but I doubted it. I thought we would have found her body if he had discovered her and although we knew he tried to lure her to the ballet studio or at least had been there himself as Alice had seen, it seemed unlikely that he was responsible for this. Nevertheless whoever was holding her was going to answer to The Major very, very, soon. Bella had been taken on his watch and it was therefore his responsibility to find her and make her safe once more.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Jasper

Before moving in any closer I rang Peters number,

"I fucking knew it! What have you got yourself into now?"

"What do you feel?"

"Feel? My radar is pinging so fucking loud I can't hear myself think Major. Whatever you got yourself roped into I suggest you get the hell out and fast."

"I can't, I have responsibilities."

"Just tell me one thing Major, is Alice Cullen involved?"

"I don't know Peter. I don't know who is responsible just that I have a missing girl and she went missing on my watch."

"Whoa! Where the hell are you?"

"Phoenix for now but I'm not sure for how long."

"You need help?"

"Not yet but maybe later."

"OK I'm at the end of the phone, you call I'll come."

"Thanks Peter I appreciate it."

So, Peter felt the danger too, there was more to this than met the eye, a lot more. Thinking about the message I received from Bella I rang Darius for help.

"Well if it isn't The Major. Haven't heard from you in a while so I'm guessing you need some help and God knows I owe you one."

"Can you trace a cellphone if I give you the number?"

"Does a bear shit in the woods?"

I gave him Bella's cell phone number and the time the message was received,

"While you're at it could you also trace any calls made by another number for me?"

"How long do I have?"

"I need the information ASAP"

"Give me ten minutes, I'll see what I can do."

I waited watching for anything unusual but it was quiet and deserted and I got the distinct impression that this wasn't going to be the end of the trail. I moved closer to the unit and I could smell various odours, dogs, chemicals, and very faintly...Bella's scent, so if she were not here now she had been at some time.

My cell phone vibrated and I answered relieved to hear Darius again,

"What the hell have you got yourself mixed up in Major?"

"Why? What did you find?"

"Well the first number you gave me is switched off...but...I traced the tower location the call was sent through, it was in Tucson Arizona. I have put a trace on the phone itself but that will take longer."

"You mean you could tell me where the phone itself is?"

"Yes but that's no guarantee that the person you are looking for is there, only the phone, remember that."

"I will. What about the other number?"

"Now that's more interesting, I'm intrigued as to why you are tracing your mate's calls though. Anyway, she's made quite a few, some are numbers she rings regularly according to her billing records but there have been a couple to a payphone in Tucson and one to Italy."

"Italy?"

"You got it, specifically Pisa. Now I could be wrong about this but it seems to me that she could well have been speaking to a member of the Volturi. Or am I just a cynical fucker? At the very least it seems strange to me that she should be ringing Tucson and the cellphone you are tracing was last used there. If I get any more information I'll get back to you. In the meantime is there anything else I can do?"

"Yes, can you keep monitoring Alice Cullens calls?"

"That's a difficult one Major, I'm not sure my contact could do that without being noticed but I'll see what pressure I can apply. If you need anything though, just ring."

I was pretty sure now that Bella was no longer here but I needed to be sure so I scaled the tall wire fence, clearing the razor wire top with ease and landing silently inside the compound. The guard dogs sensed something because they raced around the corner of the building snarling quietly, their hackles up and teeth glowing white in the poor lighting. I didn't want to kill them, after all they were only doing their job, but I had no choice so I hid their bodies in the half full refuse cart against the wall before walking around the building looking for the entrance. There were no windows but then for a storage facility which this purported to be I guess they were superfluous. The only door was a heavy metal one with a stout lock but it didn't take too long to force it, running my fingers around the edge before opening it and just as well because there was an alarm wire. It was only attached at one end close to the lock so I bent the door away from its hinges leaving the lock intact and slipped through.

Inside everything was silent except for a low drip, drip. The air was tainted with a faint smell of chemicals reminiscent of a hospital rather than an industrial setting. I moved along the concrete block corridor slowly, checking each door as I went but all were, as expected, locked. When I reached the end I started back, stopping to listen for any sounds and at the third door I could hear a heartbeat, not as fast as I would have expected but it was the only sign of life in the building. I put my hand on the knob and turned it slowly but although it turned it wouldn't open, it was locked. Hoping the internal door had no alarm I put my weight behind it and the wood groaned its protest, the hinges buckling as the screws tore free. I was sure the noise would terrify Bella, if she were still here, but I had no other way of getting in fast and I didn't know how much longer I had before someone came to check on her.

I caught the door before it crashed to the ground and put it against the wall before stepping inside and calling her name quietly hoping she would recognise my voice but as I felt her lack of emotion I knew there was something very wrong, she wasn't scared, in fact she hadn't responded to the noise at all. The room was in darkness and empty except for a bed, a cabinet with a water glass and half empty jug on it, and a portable camping toilet, there were no clothes, nothing else at all and no sign of anyone, human or otherwise. Laying beside the dusty water jug was a small recorder which was playing a human heartbeat on a continuous loop and that's what I had heard. I picked up the jug and sniffed the water, it seemed medicinal, as if it contained a drug of some kind, was Bella being kept drugged? Who was doing this and why? Had she sent the message to me or had it been sent by her captor? Perhaps this had more to do with me than Bella, she could be just a pawn but I didn't understand what the object of this was, yet. I flicked the light on but there was nothing, no message, no note, no explanations but I knew she had been here. As I turned to go back outside I saw the writing on the back of the door,

"Better luck next time but don't take too long. After all who knows what might happen if I get bored."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Jasper

Once outside I ran quickly back to the cab and started the engine again, where did I go from here? I got my phone out but hesitated, who was I going to ring now? Alice? She ought to be able to help me but something kept me from contacting her. I was puzzled, why hadn't Alice seen Bella run? Why hadn't she seen Bella taken? Or had she and not told me? If she had seen it and kept it a secret why? Who was she ringing in Italy and Tucson? Was it all just a bizarre coincidence? The bottom line was that I didn't trust her and I hated that feeling. Was it responsible for the fact I hadn't missed her? How could I not trust my own mate? I hit the steering wheel in frustration, deciding I was on my own in this. The only people I could trust were Peter and Darius. I drove away from the area deciding to follow the trail of Bella's phone for want of a better idea, Tucson was where her phone had been used last and although I was more convinced that she hadn't been the one to send the text I still believed she had been close by when it was sent. I needed someone inside the family to keep an eye on Alice for me, see what she did and where she went so making my choice I rang Roses cell phone. She didn't like Bella but I sincerely doubted that she would be involved in such an elaborate plan, besides which Rose and I were friends and whoever was playing this game most certainly wasn't a friend.

Rose

When my phone went I was waiting for Emmett who had decided to go and see Charlie Swan although I pointed out if he'd known anything we would know too. He felt really bad about Bella's disappearance and although I hadn't liked her very much I was beginning to think that maybe things had got out of hand. I was more worried about Jasper especially as Alice seemed unconcerned that none of us had heard from him. There was something very strange going on in that girl's head.

"Rose?"

"Jazz? Jazz where are you? What's going on? Em and I have been frantic, are you OK? Is Bella with you? Edward seems to think so and he's going mental."

"Rose slow down. What happened in Phoenix after I went to find Bella?"

"She's not with you? Oh crap! The ballet studio burned down but there were no bodies in there, not a human one anyway, James may have been in there but if he was then who set the fire? Where is Bella?"

"I don't know but I think she's in danger because of me."

"Because of you?"

"Yes, someone is playing with me, look I have to go in a minute. Do me a favour and watch Alice, I think she's involved in Bella's disappearance."

"Alice? That would explain why she hasn't been saying much I guess. What do you want me to do?"

"If she makes any phone calls it would be good to know who to. Rose, this is going to be hard but could you keep this to yourself for now. I know Emmett means well but Edward can read him so easily and I don't want Edward knowing what's happening from us, if he knows it will be because he's involved. I know you can keep him out."

"OK, but Emmett is really worried. Do you need any help?"

"Not yet, I don't know where this is leading. Thanks Rose."

"Take care Jazz, I miss you."

Emmett appeared a few minutes later looking dejected, so no news then as I'd expected, it would be hard not telling him what I'd just found out but Jazz was right, Emmett was an open book to Edward.

"How's Charlie?"

"Upset, worried, confused, just like me I guess. There's no news from the Phoenix police, they have no idea who torched the ballet studio but Bella wasn't in there. Renee is on sedatives, she feels responsible for Bella going missing because she agreed for Bella to come to Forks which doesn't help Charlie feel any better. He asked me where Edward is and I didn't know what to tell him. I could hardly say that Edward thinks Bella has gone off with Jazz could I? Anyway where is he? I don't understand why he hasn't rung Alice."

"Has she rung him?"

He looked at me scandalized,

"Of course, every day, all the time. What kind of a question is that Rose?"

"I just wondered because she isn't saying much."

"She's upset that's why, wouldn't you be under the same circumstances? She promises Edward she and Jazz will keep Bella safe and instead Bella vanishes and then Jazz does the same. Do you think they're together?"

"I'm not even going to answer that question Emmett it's so stupid, now buckle up and let's get back."

Charlie

I appreciated Emmett's visiting but I couldn't understand why Edward didn't make more effort, it was as if she had gone from his sight so he didn't think about her. I wondered if guilt prevented him from coming to the house, if he hadn't argued with my daughter she wouldn't have run off. She told me she was going back to Renee's in Phoenix so what changed her mind? Did she stop off somewhere? Is she in hiding? Did she get attacked or God forbid murdered? No I couldn't think like that. I know Jake and Sam had driven the highways looking for her truck but if the police couldn't find it with their resources I doubted they could. Jake was very upset but then I knew he was very fond of Bella. If only she'd fallen for him instead of the Cullen boy none of this would have happened. Detectives from Port Angeles had visited the Cullen house but there was no sign of Bella there and they felt the Cullens were innocent, Edward had been in his father's company ever since Bella left so it was doubtful he had anything to do with her going missing. I rang her cell every few hours, at first it went to voice mail but then it was switched off and we couldn't get a fix on the position of it now. There was a little hope when it was switched on momentarily but it went off again too quickly to trace and now the detectives were saying that maybe she was hiding from us, from the Cullens and me. If she was then where was she and who had she rung or messaged?

Harry, Billy, and Jake turned up soon after Emmett Cullen left and they seemed to know I'd had a visitor, not only that but the fact it was a Cullen.

"Are you watching the house Billy?"

"No, but I'm right aren't I?"

"Yes, Emmett Cullen calls in every few days. He's worried about Bella too."

"Yeah I'll bet, more worried about his own hide more like."

I looked at Jake, he wasn't usually so bitter,

"Meaning?"

"Nothing Charlie, Jake just blames the Cullens for Bella's disappearance. I take it you've heard nothing?"

"No, neither has Renee and I'm beginning to think the worst Harry."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Bella

I felt that my surroundings had changed once, maybe while I was unconscious but now they stayed the same and I began to worry that I might be left here to die. The food hadn't gone down much because I felt too sick to eat a lot but the water cooler was now only half full and I decided I'd better ration myself. I'd read all the magazines and there was nothing else to do but sit and think, ask myself questions that I couldn't answer. Where was I? Who had taken me and why? If I was bait for my mate then why had my message been sent to Jasper and not Edward? Were they looking for me? The Cullens? Charlie and Renee must be frantic with worry. Sometimes I felt panic bubbling up inside and I had to hug myself and try to think of good things. I tried to visualize the first time I saw Edward but other faces kept getting in the way, Jasper, Alice, Emmett. Alice I could understand, she was my friend after all and even Emmett, thinking of him helped to calm me, my big brother, but Jasper? Why him? Because the message had been sent to him perhaps. I thought about the picture Edward had painted of Jasper as the dangerous one in the family. Perhaps it would take someone like him to free me. The room was cool and I took to wrapping a blanket around myself in an attempt to keep warm. I had no change of clothes so I had washed out my underwear but it wouldn't dry properly so I ended up with damp clothes which didn't help. As the water started to go down I stopped washing, I just cleaned my teeth but even the toothpaste was running out so I had some idea how long I'd been a prisoner. It had been at least a week but then that didn't seem right either, I was sure it had been longer. I was getting confused so I decided to start scratching a line every day, at least my watch was still working and now I wish I'd bought one with a calendar!

Finally I received another message telling me to put my cell phone in the recess and in return I would get more food and water. I put it in reluctantly although it was no good to me with no signal. I waited and sure enough the recess filled with bottled water and more packets of food, so there was a chute that led somewhere. I took the bottles and packets out and made myself a mug of coffee waiting to see what would happen next. There was a sliding sound and the phone reappeared, well a phone, it wasn't mine and I picked it up to see a message.

"You may make one phone call lasting no longer than two minutes."

My first inclination was to ring Charlie or Renee but they wouldn't be able to help me, especially if vampires were involved and I had a nasty feeling this was vampire business. So I could speak to Edward, Tell him I wasn't with Jasper and ask for his help but would he argue? Would he believe me? I could ring Alice...Alice? No I didn't trust Alice, she should have seen where I was and told Edward, they should have rescued me by now. That left Jasper... the signal bars suddenly appeared but there was already a number programmed in. What should I do? I had only two minutes, was this a friends number or was this a cruel joke? Deciding I had nothing to lose I hit the number and waited as it rang, I had only one minute left.

"Who is this?"

With relief I recognised Jasper Hales voice,

"Jasper its Bella."

"Bella? Where are you?"

"I only have a few seconds left Jasper. Someone is using me as bait for Edward, I'm underground I think."

"Are you OK?"

"Scared and cold but yes. Better for hearing your voice."

"I will find you Bella. How do you know you're bait?"

"My captor told me I was bait for my mate. I don't know who it is though, who is holding me."

With a sinking heart I saw the signal bar vanish. My time was up and I couldn't help breaking down, I had felt so much better for hearing Jasper's cool comforting voice.

Jasper

Bella was cut off abruptly but as I put my phone down on the seat I heard something, sobbing, and it was coming from my phone. I snatched it up and could hear Bella crying distantly but when I called her name the crying was cut off and I heard a voice, one I didn't recognise because it was distorted.

"See how upset your mate is, you aren't trying hard enough Major."

The connection was broken then but I pulled over to the side of the road ringing back the number Bella had spoken to me on and I'd heard the other voice had spoken on too but it was switched off so I contacted Darius again giving him the new number.

"Can two phones be linked? I heard Bella first then another voice but it wasn't on the same phone."

"It's possible to piggyback yes. Hang on Major, I'll see what I can do. Did you get any clue? Any idea who it is?"

"Nothing. I didn't recognise the voice but it addressed me as Major not by name, if that means anything."

"Well whoever it is they know a little about technology that's why the call was so short. I might be able to get you a fix on the position, where are you now?"

"Tucson. I've been all over the city but I can't get anything."

"Well Major, the call came from the city so she's there somewhere. I've got a watch on Alice Cullens calls but she's not making any calls, I think maybe she knows she's being watched. The calls she made to Tucson. were to a couple of different pay phones at gas stations, I'll give you the addresses, they might give you a starting point but I think you need someone watching your back. What I don't understand is why anyone would think of using Edwards human girlfriend as bait for you?"

I wasn't sure I could answer him, I wasn't sure myself, or at least not sure enough to speak it out loud.

"OK, so I'm not getting an answer to that one. In that case I think you should get someone watching your back. I can send you someone if you like but my guess is that you will be calling on the Whitlocks."

"Thanks for everything Darius I appreciate it."

"Best of luck Major, something tells me you're going to need it."

I put my hand on the ignition key but didn't turn it thinking about what Darius had said, he was right that I needed to call Peter for help, I was too vulnerable on my own and I knew he'd be here like a shot. It was his question about Bella that had stopped me. When I heard her voice something inside shifted, I felt a relief and not just because she was still alive, it was more than that and I remembered a conversation I had with Peter many years ago when we were still in Maria's army.

"How do you know Charlotte is the one Peter? It could be anything, lust, loneliness, who knows."

"Major when it happens you'll feel it. Its like some place inside you that had been empty and cold is suddenly full. You hear her voice and it takes your breath away for a second, you'll know."

I hadn't felt that with Alice but she told me we were mates and I loved her, she made me feel comfortable with my life at last. She showed me the way to live and keep sane, she was warm and funny, affectionate, and full of life at least at first but of late I had felt a sadness in her, an anguish and when I asked her about it she told me that she felt sad for Bella, finding her love in our world instead of her own. She told me she wished she had been given the opportunity to choose or even know her other life. I believed her because I had no reason not to but now...Alice was involved in this I was sure. The phone calls to Italy and Tucson. were damning but I had no idea why she was doing it or who was helping her. I thought I should go back to Forks and confront her but I couldn't bring myself to board a plane and fly so far from Bella now I knew she was here somewhere close by. Besides Alice would see me coming and leave before I got there.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Rose

Now there was going to be trouble, not telling Emmett was hard because he always felt it if I were keeping a secret and while they were usually surprises for him it wouldn't be long before he worked out it had to do with Alice. Unfortunately he could be very astute at the most inopportune moments. When we got back he was depressed, as he always was when he came back from Charlie's,

"Emmett for heaven's sake stop going there if it upsets you this much."

"I can't Rosie. Charlie doesn't have many people to talk to about Bella."

"Emmett he's the Chief of Police, he's lived here all his life, he has lots of friends to lean on, don't forget every time you go there the Quileutes know and I can tell they think we are responsible for it all. You just reinforce that idea by hanging around there."

"I'm worried about Jazz you know. I know he's independent and he can look after himself but it's not like him to be away so long without contacting us, or even Alice. And what's more Alice doesn't seem to care. What's happening Rose?"

"I don't know Em, maybe they just grew apart, you used to say they were a strange combination and maybe you were right."

"Then why doesn't Alice tell us?"

"Maybe it hurts her too much Em, I don't have any more answers than you do."

He went off to take his frustration out on some of the nearby trees which would start yet another argument between him and Esme. This place got on my nerves sometimes.

I went into the house to see Alice reading a magazine but she looked up when she heard me,

"How's Em?"

"Same as always, I could understand him worrying about Jazz but Bella? What's all that about? Anyone would think she was part of the family."

"She was Rosalie"

Edwards voice was cold and hostile but I was used to that, he had taken the hurt and rejected lover to a whole new dimension and it made me sick.

"What aren't you telling me Rose?"

So my brother was trying to read my mind!

"Edward if you want to know what's happening at Charlie's then I suggest you either go talk to him yourself or speak to Em and stay out of my thoughts before I rip your arms off and beat you to death with them."

He stalked off highly indignant and I went to find Esme, she always calmed me when Edward got me riled and I needed to be calm, I had to think.

Alice

Something had happened, Rose looked worried and she avoided everyone going straight to Esme, had Charlie heard something? I decided to find Emmett and that wasn't difficult I could hear the wood splintering as I walked out the door. He had learned his lesson and run further into the woods out of Esmes sight and I soon found him. By the time I reached his side he was sitting on the ground crushing small rocks between his hands and he looked up managing a smile for me.

"Can I join you?"

He patted the ground beside him and I sat down looking around at the wrecked trees,

"I like what you've done with the place."

That got a smile but it was fleeting,

"Has Charlie heard something?"

"No. Still no news, where the hell are they Alice? Where's Jazz? Why haven't we heard anything from him? Do you want to go look for him? I'll go with you, we might find Bella too that way."

"Where Emmett? Where would we look? Jazz obviously doesn't want to talk, he's not answering his cell phone. He hasn't spoken to anyone since he left me at the airport. Sometime Em I do wonder if he isn't mixed up in Bella's disappearance."

"You think he hurt her? Wouldn't you have seen?"

"I don't know any more Emmett, all I do know is that I'm fed up with waiting and being anxious. I'm going to get on with my life, I guess this has shown me something."

"What?"

"That Jazz doesn't love me any longer."

"Don't say that Alice, maybe he can't contact us."

"Em, what would stop Jazz contacting me?"

He had no answer for that just put a huge arm around me and pulled me in for a hug.

Esme

I could see by Rose's face that there was no news and I knew this obsession of Emmett's was telling on her too, Rose had never been a lover of Bella and she didn't understand why Emmett felt so strongly, I thought she was a little jealous., We all knew how Rose felt about being a vampire and I understood how she found it so hard to believe that Bella was willing to give up her future to be with Edward. I wish they would find Bella, preferable alive and well but even if she was dead it would bring all the uncertainty to an end. The family could move on with their lives. Alice puzzled me most because although I had spoken to her many times I never got the feeling she was really missing Jasper and I did wonder if she knew more than she was telling us. Had Jasper killed Bella by accident and run off? Maybe Alice was covering for him, hanging around long enough for the dust to settle before joining him somewhere well away from the family. When I told Carlisle of my theory he scoffed,

"Esme, Jasper would never do anything like that and run. He's a man who would stand up and take the condemnation. No I don't think he's responsible for a second and neither do you if you really think about it."

Maybe he was right but Carlisle did have selective blindness when it came to his children, Edward mostly but he always saw the best in Jasper and Emmett too. Alice could do no wrong as his favourite daughter and Rose, well Rose was open and up front all the time so with her what you saw was what you got, she never sugar-coated anything.

Rose

I stayed with Esme for an hour, she was no longer making plans for this house, she knew as did the rest of us that Forks was not going to be home for very long, not after what had happened. I had found her looking for run down properties in the Boston area, Carlisle's favourite hospitals were in Massachusetts. Maybe Em and I should branch out in our own again, at least that way we wouldn't be pulled from pillar to post by Edwards latest fads. I was heartily sick of my brothers infantile ways and the way Carlisle, and Esme to a lesser degree, indulged him. I knew it would be hard for Em, he liked living in the large family but I was coming to the conclusion I preferred the peace that came when we lived as a couple. It wouldn't be easy persuading Em to move away with the mystery of Bella and Jasper still unresolved but if I worked on him he would come with me. As he always said with pride,

"Anything that makes my precious Rose happy."

I was a very lucky woman to have such a man in my life and suddenly I wondered what he would have been like as a father. I could see him with a little girl on his knee or pushing a little boy on a swing, things we would never experience, something that saddened me greatly.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Jasper

I drove round the two gas stations and their respective areas, both were in the industrial area close to the airport so did that mean whoever was holding Bella was sticking to industrial units to hide her? I couldn't watch both phone booths, I would need help now so I rang Peter again,

"You ready for my expert assistance Major?"

"Yes. I need you at the International airport in Tucson as soon as possible."

"May I suggest you do a 180 Major."

I turned round and a car parked up at the side of the highway about 400 yards away flashed its lights.

"You're getting rusty or careless Major. I'll be there in a minute."

I watched as the car entered the stream of traffic and pulled up beside me, Peter sticking his head out of the window.

"Fancy meeting you here."

"How long have you been trailing me?"

"I flew in after your phone call and Darius has been tracking you ever since."

"Where's Charlotte?"

"She's away for a few weeks visiting friends, I wasn't invited."

"Someone else you pissed off?"

"How'd you guess? So, you gonna tell me what the fuck is going on or do I continue stumbling around like a blind man in a maze?"

"Get in."

He joined me and I told him everything I knew which wasn't much then waited for his take on things, for all his brash exterior he was very astute.

"Alice Cullen, I could have told you she was at the bottom of this."

"Why Peter?"

"She doesn't need a fucking reason Major, it's the way she's made."

"She still needs a reason, Bella was a friend of hers, she offered to keep Bella safe from James and Victoria."

"Never heard of either. Did you ask Darius about them?"

"No, it didn't cross my mind, they were just nomads who crossed our path at the wrong time."

"Now Major, it may not make your skin crawl but I hate coincidences, because they very rarely turn out to be just that."

"You think they were in on some plot to snatch Bella?"

"Well lets look at the facts shall we Watson.

1. Bella purely by being a human and Edward Cullen's girlfriend/singer/mate/whatever, has upset the Cullens peaceful existence.

2. She gets invited to play baseball by...?"

"I'm not sure who. I think it was Alice who saw the storm coming but who suggested the game I don't know."

"Well anyway Bella gets an invite and suddenly two nomads appear having heard the game and changed course."

"Three."

"What?"

"Three nomads. James, Victoria, and their leader Laurent. He warned Carlisle how deadly James was before high tailing it."

"Laurent? Big guy with dreadlocks?"

"You know him?"

"I know of him, he's no leader. Laurent is a yes man, he does what he's paid to do. If he warned Carlisle then someone paid him to and it would be my guess that his paymaster is your mastermind. Anyway to continue, this James gets a hard on for Bella. Edward the ass hole wants to run away with her, like that would keep her safe from a tracker, no brains at all that fucker. How did you and Alice get the babysitting job?"

"Alice volunteered us, after all Bella was her friend."

"OK so you two drove off into the sunset with Bella while the others did what?"

"Laid a false trail for James to follow then when he figured it out Esme and Rose stayed in Forks to watch Charlie, Bella's father, while the others flew down to meet us."

"In Phoenix?"

"Yes."

"Whose idea was Phoenix?"

"Alice's, but Bella's mum lived there."

"So let me get this straight, Alice decides it will be a good idea to lead James straight to Bella's home town and her human mother?"

"Yes."

"OK, How the fuck did you manage to lose Bella?"

I explained what happened at the hotel and the airport and he sat looking at me eyebrows raised incredulously.

"Major either you need to pull the blinkers off or I'm having a really good fucking day. It's as plain as the nose on your face. Everything is down to Alice Cullen and don't give me any shit about being prejudiced. Alice befriends this Bella, suggests the baseball game, misses the nomads coming, suggests running to Phoenix, draws your attention to a ballet studio, suggests leaving for the airport to meet Edwards flight, early, very early and doesn't see Bella try to get away from you or where she goes. Not only that but she doesn't try looking for you or Bella afterwards or at least if she does she doesn't find you. Now is there anything I missed that would put a spanner in the works so far?"

"Only her motive. What does Alice get out of this?"

"Well that's a tad more difficult because my brain, thank fuck, doesn't work quite like hers but lets see, she gets shot of Bella and you. You are suspicious or you'd have spoken to her before now so don't try to deny it. The family gets shot of a possible dangerous liaison, your sister Rose gets shot of Bella who it sounds like she hates and is jealous of. Hows that for starters?"

"Why does Alice want me gone though?"

"What did Bella tell you on the phone? Oh yeah and why'd she ring you and not Edward?"

"She told me she was a pawn, a way of drawing her mate in, as for why she rang me I don't know perhaps she thought I would be more use than Edward."

"Shows she's got brains anyway but the important point is that Bella is a pawn, she's the lure and if you think about it who is she drawing in? Not Edward but you. Why?"

"I told you, she went missing on my watch, she's my responsibility."

"OK, if you say so. I disagree and I think this is Alice's motive. She saw you and Bella together and she's determined it's not coming off."

"Bullshit Peter."

"Anything you say Major. You have a better theory? ...You have any theory at all?"

I couldn't answer Peter because I thought he might be right, he had nailed it but I wasn't prepared to admit it, I had feelings for Bella yes, but would that be enough for Alice to act? After all I wasn't even aware of them until I spoke to her on the phone.

"Say you're right."

"I am."

"OK, who is she using and why did she set fire to the ballet studio?"

"Right, well as to the first I don't know but I wouldn't mind betting that there was a body in that dance studio."

"No bodies were found Peter."

"No human bodies were found."

I noticed the distinction,

"You think she had James killed and his body burned?"

"She's smart, leave no witnesses. All we have to do is find out who she employed and follow them home to Bella."

"If she doesn't get killed first."

"No way, she's the bait. You don't throw the bait away until the trap is sprung Major so you and I need to do a little eye balling at the phone booths and hope in the meantime Darius comes up with something more concrete. See, its easy as pissing when you know how."

I couldn't argue with Peters interpretation but it still didn't seem enough to me, I thought there was a bigger picture we weren't seeing yet.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Alice

When Rose came back she wanted to talk to me and I knew there was going to be trouble but I was prepared when she hauled me out into the trees again and turned on me angrily,

"Alice what are you doing?"

"Doing? Nothing why?"

"I had a phone call from Jasper a little while ago"

"Jazz, really? What did he say?"

"He wants me to keep an eye on you. Alice he knows."

"Knows what exactly Rose?"

"He knows you are responsible in some way. This is getting out of hand, you told me your friends James and Victoria would get rid of Bella and that would be it. What went wrong?"

"Nothing, it went off as planned I just changed the plan slightly."

"Why? Once Bella's body was found in the ballet studio that should have been it. A mystery murder of a runaway as far as the humans were concerned and murder by James as far as the family knew, what have you done Alice?"

"I had my own agenda Rose, that's all. I played my part and you played yours. You suggested the baseball game and you did an admirable job of pretending to lead James away from Bella, it all went like clockwork with no one having the slightest suspicion it was anything more than it appeared. You got what you wanted and I got what I wanted so we're both happy, problems solved, end of story."

"But why did Jazz have to get involved? Surely you saw that Alice?"

"Of course I did, he and Bella will both be dead very soon so stop worrying."

"Bella's still alive? Why? Where? Why isn't she dead already and why do you want Jasper dead? You never said anything about him getting hurt."

"Don't sound so shocked Rose. Why is that any more terrible than you happy to see a human girl killed for just existing. I only agreed with you because it served my purpose, fitted in with my own plans and made my job so much easier."

"So tell me Alice what were your plans? I want to know."

"You don't need to know Rose and if you know what's good for you you'll keep your mouth shut, Emmett would be horrified if he knew what you'd help to achieve. He was very fond of Bella."

"Don't you dare tell him Alice, you do and I'll tell Carlisle exactly what you just told me."

"Do you really think he'll believe you Rose?"

I put on my best innocent expression and I could see her fuming but she knew I was right, she had to keep her mouth shut or suffer as much as me, well more actually. Poor Rose really thought I'd gone to all this trouble for her, I had no idea why she should think that, it was stupid. I had my own agenda, she was just a convenient excuse.

When she'd gone I sat thinking about her words, so Jazz had worked it out so far but I bet he had no idea who had Bella or what the plan was for her and him or why he suddenly felt things for Bella, things he hadn't when he first met her. If only he had taken more notice of my friends, listened to the things I told him when we first met but then how could he? This had been a long time in the planning and execution, I had been extremely patient and soon I would get my reward. It was time to make one more phone call but it would be fairly short and I doubted it would be dangerous, my dear Jazz wasn't really up to speed with modern technology. I text a time and location and waited for half an hour before dialling the number and waiting,

"Yes?"

"Its time, he's almost there."

"What do you want me to do?"

"I don't care as long as you dispose of him. Keep her, kill her, she's yours."

"Don't worry, you will never hear from either of them again. Maybe I'll change her and then kill him or kill her first and make him watch. Its been a pleasure working with you."

"Just be careful, you know how dangerous he is."

"Of course, how could I forget."

I took the sim card out of my phone and destroyed it, I wouldn't be ringing again and I didn't want any physical proof of a connection between us. Then going slowly into the lounge I dropped the bombshell,

"I think its time I left Carlisle."

" Leave? Where will you go Alice? What about Jasper? Surely you wont go until we know what's happened to him or to Bella?"

"Face up to it they're not coming back are they Carlisle? No, I think I'll travel for a while, maybe go to Europe."

"Europe? Would you like one of us to go with you? It might do Edward good to get away from here too."

God no I thought, he's the last person I want with me!

"No, I think a clean break would be best. I need space Carlisle, it's all just too much for me."

I saw Rose watching me over her book as Emmett put his controller down and came over,

"Alice? Please don't go. I'm sure Jazz will come back, stay with us."

I shook my head putting on my best brave but hurt look and drooping my head I went upstairs slowly to pack. I had a flight booked the next morning to Austria where I had a payment to make then I was off to Italy and my new life, in all I'd done rather well for myself and my boss.

Carlisle

I had seen the looks that passed between Rose and Alice and they gave me a bad feeling, there was something going on here that I was not aware of and I didn't think it would be something that would delight me. I had felt that Alice was drawing away from us over the past year but for her to leave without knowing what happened to Jazz and Bella, her mate and her best friend, gave me a nasty suspicion so when Alice went upstairs I asked Rose to take a walk with me. She would have liked to refuse but that would have made the others take notice so instead she took my proffered arm and we went out of the house, across the drive and into the trees leading down to the river. We walked in silence for sometime and I could feel the tension building up in her. Sometimes the best way to get answers was not to ask the questions but wait for guilt to speak in answer to the unspoken words. She stopped abruptly and looked at me,

"You know don't you Carlisle?"

"I know somehow you and Alice know more about the terrible things that have happened to this family recently than the rest of us. What I don't know is what and why?"

"I thought I knew Carlisle but I didn't. I am guilty of wanting Bella out of our lives and I'll admit I was prepared to go to any lengths for that."

"Including kidnap?"

"Yes. I'm not proud of that but yes. She frightened me, I don't want to become a freak, some kind of side show exhibit, the vampire girl. I want to live quietly with Emmett but he was so fascinated by her I felt I was losing him too."

"So you did what? Asked Alice to help you get rid of Bella or did she offer to help you? Was Jasper a part of this Rose?"

"I asked Alice what she saw in the future. I wanted to know we were going to be safe but she told me if we didn't act then Bella would expose us. She said she had a way of getting rid of Bella and I went along with her but it turns out it wasn't like that at all. Alice had her own agenda and I'm scared Emmett will find out what I did and leave me. I don't know what happened with Jasper. I'm scared he's going to get killed along with Bella but I don't know what to do to put it right Carlisle."

"So both Bella and he are still alive at the moment?"

"I think so, but I have no idea where they are."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Jasper

It was Peter who got the break the same time I received a call from Darius,

"Your favourite girl has just sent a text, it seems she'll be ringing someone in Tucson in a little while so stake out the phone booths and maybe you'll get lucky, unless of course she has a third contact number to use."

"Thanks Darius. Can you pick up the call?"

"I'll try. If I can scan the area and hunt for key words I might get lucky."

"Speak to you soon then."

I was still putting my phone back in my pocket when it rang again,

"That fucking bitch of yours Major. If I get my hands on her I'm gonna twist her fucking head round and shove it up her ass."

"Peter just get on with it."

"Nathan, I've just seen his face in a crowd of people, he's headed for the phone booth and you know what that means don't you?"

"Maria? You think she's in on it?"

"Well I doubt he's hiring himself out as an odd job man, I can see it now, murder a speciality, torture at very reasonable rates! What do you want me to do? He hasn't seen me so I could take him if you want."

"No, you do that how do we find Bella? Just don't lose him."

"OK but just remember I'm not a fucking bloodhound so get your ass here double-quick."

I grabbed the car and did an illegal U-turn to get to Peter as fast as possible. If Nathan scoped Peter then Bella was dead. He wouldn't go back and our chances of finding her quickly were poor. Besides I didn't know what he'd already done to her. If she were injured or dead he would be next, he'd been a thorn in my side for too long.

Peter

If we were right and Alice was involved there was a good chance that she would tell Nathan to walk and we'd be looking for Bella alone. The Major wasn't going to like that but if he were right then he could use his feelings for her to lead us in, it would be difficult but not impossible in a city this size. I saw him drive by slowly and checked that Nathan hadn't eye balled him, we were OK so far. While he parked up I watched as Nathan waited by the phone booth intimidating anyone who came too close into walking away even quicker. We heard the phone ring at the same time and he snatched the receiver up as I moved a little closer to hear the conversation better.

"You've been blown Nathan. Walk."

"What about the girl?"

"Leave her, they'll never find her in time. You didn't leave her anything did you?"

"No, I did what you said. Maria isn't going to be happy. You promised her a new recruit for her army."

"Well she can decide what you do next, just make sure you don't lead him to her."

"Don't teach me my job bitch"

He put the receiver down then turned fast but not fast enough, he was dragged into The Majors car and I ran to follow in mine. It seemed we would be having a nice chat with an old friend very soon.

Jasper

Deciding the best way to find Bella was to take Nathan I did just that, he was fast but not as fast as The Major. He thought he was but he was very much mistaken but then an overwhelming sense of his own superiority was his biggest failing. I pulled him into the car crushing him down in the passenger foot well and putting a booted foot across his throat to hold him down until I could find somewhere to pull over. Glancing in my rear view mirror I saw Peters car race up behind and keep on my tail until I pulled into an abandoned warehouse lot parking up in a quiet and secluded corner. Nathan had almost struggled free but Peter was out of the car and at the passenger door of mine even faster and dragged Nathan out, one arm round his neck twisting it so far that I could hear the hard flesh creaking.

"Not pleased to see us old friend? What a shame. We just want a few questions answered then you can be on your way...to hell."

"I want to know where the girl is Nathan."

"So?"

"You will tell me, it's just how long it takes."

"You'll never find her if you kill me. She'll be dead first."

"You'd better hope not or I'll keep your dismembered body and burn a little every day in front of your eyes until all that's left is your head then you can sit on a shelf and watch as eternity passes."

He knew I meant my threat, he was going to die it was just a case of how long that process took. I could see him weigh up his options but with Peter and myself he stood no chance at all of getting free.

Peter

I increased the pressure and his flesh began to rip, he struggled but I knew how to keep my man and there was no way he was going anywhere,

"Now be sensible and answer The Major before he gets upset, you remember what happens when he loses his temper now don't you?"

Nathan started to panic struggling even more desperately but I just hung on until he stopped and stood very still,

"She'll hunt you down if you kill me. Maria, she relies on me."

I couldn't help laughing at this,

"You are even more thick than I thought. Maria doesn't rely on anyone any more. The only person she tried that with is standing in front of you and she got her fingers well and truly burned for that so face the facts, Maria doesn't give a shit about you. If she did then you wouldn't be here running errands for Alice Cullen but snuggled up in her bed you fucking moron."

He knew I was right but it hurt to hear it out loud,

"So start talking or start dying."

He shook his head and I sighed as The Major took out a lighter and nodded to me. I used my free hand to pull his left hand free of my arm and The Major snapped a finger off and set light to it holding it as the flames ate it away then dropped the last bit to flare out on the ground.

"Where is she?"

Nathan still shook his head and we slowly burned the fingers of his left hand to ash then as I continued to hold his arm the Major snapped the hand off at the wrist.

"We can keep doing this until we get to your neck, is that how you want to spend eternity? A disembodied head? OK."

Jasper

I knew Nathan wasn't going to tell us anything, he'd die first and our threat wasn't enough to change his resolve. He knew if he told us and Maria found out that she'd find a way of making his life even more of a hell than we would. I understood that and after about ten minutes I gave Peter the nod and he ripped Nathan's head from his body. It rolled around in the dirt as I burned the rest of his body then Peter picked it up by the hair and turned it to look into his still flickering eyes,

"I hope you have a great time in hell."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Bella

I'd lost count of the days I'd been here because someone was playing with my head, I'd been marking each day on the wall above the bed but when I woke up there were marks running all the way across the wall and the next time they were all gone which meant someone was coming into the room when I was asleep which was a really scary thought. I still couldn't find a way out but there had to be a hidden door somewhere. The walls didn't move at all when I pushed and I'd been over the floor on my hands and knees looking for a trap door but again I could find nothing, to me it seemed the floor was solid concrete. My water was running low again and my food supply exhausted, all the anti sickness pills were gone and I was feeling dizzy and weak again. I hadn't heard anything from my captor for a long time and I wondered if my task had been fulfilled and I was being left here to die alone in this trap. I felt wretched and tired, so very tired, and I knew if I didn't get out of here soon I never would. The only way out that I knew of was the chute my captor used to send me supplies and I pulled the arm-chair out of the way terrified at how wreak I had become. The opening was small but I wondered if I might just be able to climb inside and up the walls. They were sheer but I would be so cramped that it might work in my favour. Deciding it was that or sit here and starve to death I steeled myself for the attempt then wriggled into the narrow chute arms above my head and praying I wouldn't get stuck I started to inch my way up into the darkness. I must have been about three feet up the chute when I heard a noise in the room and stopped moving, keeping as still as I could and hoping no one would look up the chute and find me. I waited for the feel of a hand around my ankle as the tears started to fall once more, trickling down my cheeks and dripping off my chin to soak my sweater.

Peter

I could see despair in The Majors face as he watched Nathan burn to ashes then kicked the ashes with his toe so the wind caught it and blew it away.

"Now what Peter?"

"Now we use the pull."

"What?"

"Major, if this human girl is your mate then you'll be drawn to her. You just have to concentrate, feel it."

I could see he wasn't convinced but it was his only option so he closed his eyes and concentrated only to be interrupted by his cell phone. I grabbed it from his hand,

"I'll get the fucking thing, you concentrate...Yes?"

"Peter? So you finally made an appearance, about time."

"What do you want Darius? You'd better have good news for us because our only source of information just went up in smoke."

"Oh right, well I might just be able to help you a little there. I triangulated the various cell phone calls and the ones from the phone booths then ran them through a little program I just wrote..."

"Hey, you lost me after Oh right, just speak English Darius and take it as read that I am dazzled by your computer skills."

"I've got you a ten block maximum search radius."

"Darius if you were closer I'd come over there and kiss you."

"Then I'm very relieved to be miles away Peter. When you find her let me know, in the meantime I'll keep monitoring Alice's cell calls. Good luck. By the way who was it? Holding the girl I mean."

"Nathan."

"So, Maria is involved. I didn't know Alice Cullen had such influential friends but then again if she's ringing someone in Italy maybe her friends stretch to the very top."

"Well lets just hope they stay there for a while, we've got enough on our fucking plates as it is."

Jasper

Darius had given us a fighting chance of finding Bella now, so while Peter drove around the outer perimeter of our search grid I sat eyes closed searching for something, some feeling to tell me which direction we should be headed. At first I got nothing and my frustration just made things more difficult so Peter screeched to a halt and hit the steering wheel.

"You want to find her alive and breathing or a body Major? Because I have to tell you unless you get your shit together that's precisely what's gonna happen. Now clear your mind and fucking concentrate."

I did as he said, pulling together all the calm thoughts I could to help me on the second circuit but still I got nothing and shook my head,

"Nothing"

"Right lets go in one block."

We did this for the next two blocks before I felt something, very nebulous but it was there on the edges of my consciousness,

"Turn right."

He did so and it firmed up a little and with each change of direction I felt it more strongly until I hit the dash,

"Stop. She's here."

I opened my eyes and looked around, there were several large warehouses and a few smaller units on the block,

"Which one?"

I shook my head,

"Then get your butt out and walk. Give us something we can use."

Peter

I watched as he walked slowly down the street then he hesitated and crossed over narrowly avoiding a huge truck that blew its horn angrily but carried on. That was all we needed, him getting hit by a truck or assaulted by an angry trucker! He walked on a few buildings then stopped outside a derelict warehouse all boarded up and liberally covered in razor wire. I looked around, too many witnesses, too many windows, so I took his arm and pulled him round the corner. This was better no windows in the side of the building facing ours and no traffic.

"OK lets get in quick."

We jumped the metal fencing landing in a rubbish strewn yard, weeds choking the building at ground level.

"Any idea if we need to go up or down?"

Again he shook his head so I wrenched a metal shutter off the nearest window and we climbed into the dark deserted building stopping to listen. I saw his eyes flicker towards an iron staircase to the basement,

"Great I might have known, I hate basements they're always full of dirty great fucking rats."

"As long as they are only four legged rodents we don't need to worry too much."

I nodded in agreement and followed him down into the bowels of the building. It smelled like bowels too, there had been illegal tenants at one time who used this as a latrine and the floor which was slick with water gave off a terrible stench as we disturbed it,

"Wonderful, now I'm wading through a fucking sewer. Why don't we ever get a chance to track someone in a rose garden or perfumery, yeah that would be even better."

"Peter..."

"I know shut the fuck up."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Peter

We were in the right place as proved by the empty water bottles and food packets scattering the floor and a wooden chair with a stack of books beside it. I picked one up and looked at its title,

"The Art Of War, I didn't know the fucker could read."

The Major ignored me looking round until he saw a metal cover on the floor. He lifted it and I could see it was heavy, underneath was a black hole and he lay down looking down before standing again and nodding,

"I can smell Bella, she's here Peter. Down here somewhere."

"OK so I can add pot holing to my résumé. After you."

He disappeared down the hole passing me another cover which was obviously there to hide the entrance from inside the room and jumped down. I peered down the hole praying we weren't just jumping into a prison for ourselves but I could see a thick rope coiled up on a ledge just inside the hole. I dropped it off the ledge and it uncoiled into the darkness.

"I don't know why I keep doing stupid things like this I must be fucking mad!"

I followed him down, not as far as I thought, only about twenty feet, into a cinder block room which had certainly been used as a cell, and for some time by the look of things and the strong smell of a human woman.

"Unless she's invisible I don't see your girl here Major"

He was looking in the two doors then came back out shaking his head and looking even more concerned but then we both saw the recess in the wall at the same time and motioning me to silence he went over kneeling down to look inside. I saw him stiffen and groaned, please don't tell me that Nathan already killed her and stuffed the body in that recess but then I noticed the fast heartbeat, she was scared.

Jasper

I could hear Bella's heartbeat and knew not only was she alive but she was also terrified, what was she doing here? Trying to get away from Nathan or trying to find a way out? I reached a hand up and hesitated realizing I would panic her further if I touched her without warning so I spoke very quietly hoping she could hear me without being too shocked,

"Bella? Bella is that you?"

I waited and then I heard a rustle as she moved a little,

"Bella, listen to my voice, you know me, its Jasper. I need you to come back down. Then we can get you out of here."

I waited again then heard a very muffled voice but one I recognised immediately with a sigh of relief,

"Jasper? Is that really you? I can't get down, I'm stuck fast."

She sounded close to panic,

"Try to relax and I'll pull you down. Any pain, shout and I'll stop OK?"

"OK"

Her voice was very weak and I was concerned she might run out of oxygen so tightly squeezed as she was so I took her ankle and pulled gently but she didn't budge so I pulled a little harder and heard her gasp.

"Am I hurting you?"

"I'm sorry I'm stuck."

I could hear the tears in her voice and looked over to Peter who shrugged and looked at the wall,

"How far up is she?"

"Its difficult to tell."

"Well try unless you want to wait for Santa!"

Peter

If she really were stuck fast then we'd have to demolish the wall which wasn't a problem in itself but if we punched through in the wrong place we could hurt or even kill her. He put his head back in the recess then stretched an arm up the outside and pointed to a spot on the wall.

"Her feet are about here."

"How tall is she?"

"About 5 foot 4 inches."

"How is she situated in the wall?"

He asked her,

"My arms are above my head, it was the only way I could fit in."

Well this was going to be interesting, I took a good look at the wall gauging the distance,

"Tell her to brace herself and if I'm too close shout as loud as she can."

He nodded and I took a steadying breath then hit the wall as hard as I could with my clenched fist. The cinder block crumbled but there was a metal chute inside the wall which was a little more difficult as it bent rather than broke.

"How am I doing?"

"OK so far I think, she's not shouting."

I'll take it that's a good thing then shall I?"

Bella

I heard a terrible bang and dust floated down to cover my head and make me cough but I didn't cry out, I wanted them to get me out as quickly as possible. The next bang made my ears ring and caused more dust, thicker this time made me choke even more. My throat was already sore and parched and coughing hurt badly. After this there was a horrible screeching noise and suddenly I could see. Then my left hand suddenly felt as if it was being crushed and I screamed,

"Stop, my hand"

The pain stopped and the crushing and screeching noise started again but I was a feeling terrible now, the dust stopping me from breathing and I choked more, on and on until I thought I would throw up. Then suddenly there was a hand touching mine and I heard a voice, a new one I hadn't heard before.

"Bella, can you grab my hand with yours?"

I wriggled my fingers until I could clasp a huge cold hand in mine and then the voice spoke again,

"Good, now The Major is going to grab your feet and push you upwards and I'm going to pull. If you feel any pain you tell me straight away and we'll stop. Got that?"

I managed a strangled yes and felt my feet pushed as my hands were tugged and I moved a few inches very slowly, then a few more but then I felt a sharp pain in my arm,

"Ouch"

All movement stopped and the voice came again,

"What happened?"

"I think I cut my arm."

"OK. Just a minute, yeah I can smell the blood, just what I fucking need."

There was more screeching and then the tugging began again and with a final jerk I was free of the chute and in the strong arms of a man I'd never seen before. I took a few deep gulps of air and managed a faint thanks before the choking started again and I was whisked from his arms into another's and looking up I saw a pair of familiar golden eyes looking at me with concern.

"Bella? Bella are you OK?"

I nodded rubbing my arm and feeling a warm stickiness, pulling it back I saw the blood and gasped,

"Oh I'm sorry, put me down, let me wrap this up, wipe the blood off."

"Bella keep still you're making it bleed more. Calm down, its OK. We won't hurt you."

That stopped me in shock,

"I know that, I'm not afraid of you Jasper."

I looked round,

"Or your friend. Thank you by the way, I thought I was dead for sure."

"Well it was a novel way to commit suicide I'll grant you that Bella Swan."

I wanted to say more but the choking started again, racking my body until the friend reappeared with a bottle of water that I snatched greedily and began to drink choking myself even more. He took it back from my grasp,

"Whoa there girly. You want to drown yourself? There's plenty more where that came from. How long since you've had a drink?"

"A while. The water cooler dried up and I didn't get any more bottles down the chute. Where am I by the way?"

"Tucson Arizona."

"Oh, I thought I'd been moved but I didn't know for sure, I think I was gassed."

As I thought about that I started choking again and the room started to spin into darkness and the last thing that registered were strong arms around me.

.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Carlisle

By the time we returned to the house Alice had left, she must have seen the conversation and decided that it would be safer for her to leave straight away. Esme was distraught at losing Alice but when I took her to one side and explained what our daughters had been doing it turned to rage.

"Are you telling me that Bella's disappearance is down to Alice? That James and Victoria were friends of hers and she did it purely to make Rose feel better?"

"No, I think Rose was just another pawn that Alice manipulated. There's a lot more to this than simple fear of exposure. Alice isn't working alone, the question is who is she working for and what are they trying to do."

"Well, so far she's kidnapped Bella and according to Rose both she and Jasper are in danger of losing their lives but I don't see who benefits from that except Rose and possibly Alice if she no longer wants Jasper. Although why she couldn't just have left or explained the situation to him is beyond me. That girl has a very warped mind Carlisle, I should have seen it a long time ago, she's been acted very secretively and strangely. Jasper even asked me if there was something wrong and I just brushed his concerns aside."

"It still doesn't help us figure out where she's gone, why she did all this or who it benefits Esme, We need to find Bella and Jasper fast."

"I don't think we stand a chance of doing that, we need to find Alice and get her to tell us where they are."

"How?"

"I don't know Esme, I could try my friend Geena, she has a way of accessing the airport flight manifests, perhaps we'll be lucky, maybe Alice had a flight booked. If we're too late to stop her at least we'll know where she's going, it might give us a clue."

"Then do it while I have a word with Rosalie."

Rose

I knew what was coming as soon as I saw Esme's face and cringed because I knew she wasn't going to take me to one side for a quiet word well away from Emmett's hearing. Instead she walked over and turned off the TV startling Emmett who had been watched a football game. He opened his mouth to speak but saw the look on her face and shut it again double-quick before shooting me a "Why am I in the shit?" Look.

"So Rose, would you like to explain exactly what has been going on behind out backs?"

I didn't speak, wishing the floor would open up but knowing it wouldn't and I was now close to losing everything important and dear to me.

"I'm waiting."

She tapped her foot impatiently and glared at me as Emmett turned to look directly at me,

"What's going on Rose?"

I slumped down in the armchair opposite him and looked down at the floor as I began to speak, I couldn't bear to see the look of horror and loathing I was going to see on my mates face very soon.

"Alice knew I was unhappy about Bella's involvement with Edward, she knew I was scared Bella might let something slip, reveal us to the humans and she offered me a way to get rid of her."

"Alice offered you a way to get rid of Bella? But she was Bella's best friend."

"That's what I thought too Emmett but it was all a sham. Alice contacted friends of hers, Jane and Victoria and asked for their help."

"They were Alice's friends?"

Emmett's shocked question didn't help me but I stumbled on,

"The plan was for me to suggest a baseball game next time there was a thunderstorm while she would nudge Edward into inviting Bella along. James would feign interest in her and Laurent was paid to stress how lethal James was , make sure we panicked and tried to keep her safe. Alice pointed out that Edward needed to stay here or James would know Bella had left the area. Alice offered her services and those of Jasper to keep Bella safe by running away with her. I was supposed to help by leaving the false trail but make sure it didn't go on too long then it was my understanding that James and Victoria would fly down to Phoenix the prearranged hiding place and James would lure Bella to the ballet studio and kill her there, then set fire to the place so no one would know how she died."

"You hatched a plan with Alice to kill Bella?"

I took a deep breath and looked into Emmett's face,

"Yes I did because she was dangerous to us, not only that but I got the impression, and Alice agreed, that you were falling for the human bitch. I thought once she was dead the family could move on, we'd be safe and we could start again away from this place but Alice changed the plan,. I didn't know she wanted Jasper gone too. Once Bella ran from the airport I have no idea what happened to her."

"And you don't care because she's gone, she's dead and you think everything's going back to the way it was? You think I can forgive my mate for plotting the death of an innocent girl whose only crime was to fall in love with one of us? What planet are you on Rose? Where's Alice now?"

Emmett got up ready to go find her.

"We don't know, Carlisle is trying to find out if she's booked on a plane from Seattle."

"What about Jazz and Bella?"

He turned from Esme to me,

"Do you know anything Rose? If you do I suggest you start talking now."

"I don't. All Alice told me was that they would both be dead soon. She wouldn't explain why Jazz was caught up in this, she just said she had her own agenda."

"Yeah well, her agenda seems to involve a lot of people betraying their friends and family and death. You make me sick Rose, how could you? Bella never did a thing to you or any of us and neither did Jazz."

He walked to the stairs but turned as Esme spoke,

"Where are you going Emmett?"

"To pack, then I'm going to see if Carlisle has found out anything that might be helpful. After that I'm leaving."

"Oh Emmett please don't go, what if we hear something? We might need your help."

"You've got my cell number Esme. As for you Rose, I just don't know what to say."

He shook his head and ran up the stairs mumbling. My chest felt as if a great hole had been punched through it and I wrapped my arms around me to stop myself shaking. Esme looked at me coldly,

"You know Rose, you are the last person I expected to prove a danger to an innocent human girl."

Then she turned and walked out of the room, I had no friends left in the Cullen house and as I watched my mate came down with a bag slung over his shoulder and walked out to the garage without even looking at me let alone speaking, I was totally alone.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Jasper

We needed to get Bella out of here and away to somewhere safe until we found out exactly what was going on and who our enemies really were so taking my jacket I wrapped her in it, the clothes she was wearing wouldn't keep her warm enough and I didn't want her catching a chill she was already too cold. Once outside I was happier, we now had room to manoeuvre, and settling her into Peters arms I went to the huge wire gates and snapped the chain so I could open it, jumping over with her in my arms wasn't a good idea, we needed our hands free as much as possible in case Nathan wasn't the only one looking after her in Tucson. We piled into Peters car leaving mine an open invitation for a car thief, it was as good a way as any of getting shot of it.

"So where too Major?"

"Lets get out of Tucson. first, head for Saguaro National Park, it will give us some room to manoeuvre if we need it."

"OK lets hit the road"

Peter threaded his way out of Tucson. shooting glances at Bella who was laid across the back seat my jacket wrapped around her.

"Well she isn't quite Sleeping Beauty but then she's had a rough time of it by the look of things. With a good scrub down, hair wash and brush out and some clean clothes I'm sure she'll be a different girl. I'll give her that she's got courage, I'm damned if I'd have squeezed up that chute even to get away from Nathan."

I didn't answer him I was too full of fury at what had been done to this innocent young girl by my ex. Alice Cullen and anyone else involved was going to pay for it and pay with interest. Peter's words suddenly registered,

"We need to stop somewhere, get clothes and food for Bella."

"OK Major, but you get the clothes and I'll get the provisions. Even Charlotte wont let me anywhere near a clothes shop."

"You stay with Bella while I go in. Don't leave her."

"Hey, don't teach your grandmother to suck eggs, now fuck off."

I hurried through the mall grabbing a few items I thought Bella could use for now then I went into a small grocery store and picked up what I thought she liked to eat, milk, bread, cheese, eggs, coffee, sodas, chips and toiletries then ran back to the car, only feeling at ease when I could see her again.

"She hasn't moved, you think she's OK?"

I looked over the seat, she was still pale and her breathing raspy but I hoped that was just the effects of dehydration.

"Drive. I want to get somewhere safe before she wakes up."

"Sure. Whatever you say."

We drove as long as we dared then spotted an old and run down motel with a half lit sign and stopped, hoping it was in fact still open. Leaving Peter in the car with Bella I entered the reception building hearing a TV on low and hit the bell to get attention. An elderly man shuffled out of the back room and looked at me suspiciously,

"I don't keep any money here."

Why did everyone assume I was trying to rob them?

"I was looking for a room actually"

"Oh, a room? Well we don't get many visitors here these days."

"Do you have a room?"

"Sure, I got a room...$25 a night. There's no vending machine but for an extra $10 I can do you a cold supper"

"Hot coffee too?"

"You drive a hard bargain son but OK"

He handed me an old key with a chunk of wood attached and promised to bring the tray over,

"That's OK I'll come back in a few minutes, I need to stretch my legs anyway I've been in the car a long time."

He nodded and disappeared through the back again so Peter drove the car to the room and carried Bella in so he wouldn't see her. While he laid her on the bed I went back for the tray carrying it over and locking the door behind me.

As I put the tray down I heard Bella stir and turned quickly as she rolled to the edge of the bed catching her just before she slid on to the floor. She opened her eyes and groaned then threw up and I pulled her hair back just holding her until the heaves subsided. When she finished I sat her up on the bed and emptied the coffee down the wash basin filling the mug with cold water instead and took it back to her. She looked up at me but her eyes were unfocused and bloodshot, her face almost as pale as mine.

"Bella, try to drink some more water."

I held the mug to her lips and she sipped the water thirstily then closed her eyes again, whatever she had been given, we could both smelled chemicals in her blood, was reacting badly with her system. I lifted her back onto the bed and covered her with the blankets stroking her cheek which now felt hot and watched as the flush crept across her face. I had no idea what to do so I got a wash cloth and soaked it in cold water wiping her face to cool it as Peter watched from the door way.

"Is she gonna be OK? Maybe she needs a doctor."

I shook my head,

"Only as a last resort, I don't want anyone to know where she is. I'm hoping she'll feel better once she's slept and had a chance to eat and clean up. Besides we can hardly take her to a doctor without explaining why she's like this and Charlie will find out where she is."

"He is her father though."

"Yes but we don't know if any of the other Cullens are involved. I need to keep her under the radar for now"

"OK, just as you say, you're the boss. You need a hand?"

I shook my head,

"No, just keep a look out for me. Oh yeah and ring Darius let him know the state if play and see if Alice has made any more calls."

"Will do."

I went through to the bathroom and ran the shower, checking the temperature then roused Bella as best I could. She opened her eyes but she hardly seemed to recognise me so I helped her strip to her underwear trying to keep my eyes and mind on her face then left her to wash herself only intervening when she started to sag as she tried to wash her hair, then helped her on with the fresh clothes I'd bought and put her back in between fresh sheets. She was with it enough to manage a few mouthfuls of food before pushing the fork away as if too exhausted.

Peter was looking out the window when I joined him but he glanced over at Bella in the bed then back at me,

"So, like I said she scrubs up well."

MY first reaction was to hit him but I quashed it down with difficulty,

"Darius?"

"No more calls but he's glad you found the girl. So what do we do now? We can't stay here with Sleeping Beauty for ever and I know you wont want to take her to Mexico. We are taking Maria out aren't we?"

"I don't know. I need to understand what's going on first."

"And just how do we do that? Torture Alice Cullen?"

"If necessary yes."

"Now you're talking Major."

"But for now we keep Bella safe and we work out what the hell is really going on here because I have a nasty feeling that were still missing something. Alice isn't doing all this to get at me, or get rid of Bella there's something else. The call to Italy means something and we need to know what. In the meantime we keep moving, it's too dangerous to stay in one place too long."

"Well I know of an old camp ground in the park, its been abandoned for a while now, they opened up new ones with more facilities on a better trail. It would do for a while."

"I guess so, lets just wait until she wakes up properly and make sure she's OK before going into the wilderness."


	18. Chapter 18

**Sorry to be so late posting but my trusty lap top breathed its last earlier, luckily my dear hubby took me out this morning and bought me a new one. Jules x**

Chapter Eighteen

Jasper

I watched Bella all night while Peter went to hunt before leaving for the camp, there would be little chance for him to hunt once we left here. Once he'd gone I sat on the edge of the bed and stroked her cheek as she slept,

"How did I not see you before Bella? How could I have been so blind?"

I leaned in and kissed her gently on the forehead before sitting down again holding her hand in mine. He still wasn't back when she finally woke up properly, pulling away to sit up.

"Jasper? What are you doing here?"

She looked round the room,

"Where is here? What happened? How did I get here from the...I didn't get to the ballet studio did I? Oh God Renee! Did he kill my mum?"

I took her hand again

"Your mum is fine Bella. I saw her, James never touched her. Can you remember what happened when you ran out on me at the airport?"

She closed her eyes, tears running down her cheeks,

"I'm so sorry Jasper but he threatened to kill my mum if I didn't meet him. I had to get away from you. I remember getting into a cab and telling the driver where to take me but...that's it, I don't remember any more until I found myself in that room, or rooms. Why do I feel so sick, so weak...and where is Edward? Where are the others?"

"I'm sorry Bella."

"You are? Why?"

"Because I don't know who to trust any more. Edward blamed me for your disappearance, I blamed myself, so I decided I needed to find you and now that I have I still don't know what to do."

"What about Alice?"

"Alice?"

"Didn't she see anything?"

"Good question, one I've asked myself many times Bella."

"And?"

"I have no answers. Alice must have seen something but she never said anything and now I don't trust her enough to tell her that I've found you. I think she's a party to whatever is happening here."

"So what do we do?"

"We keep you safe, until we get some answers."

"You're staying with me? And your friend? Where is he?"

"Of course were staying with you and we will find out what really happened. He's gone to hunt but he'll be back soon. Do you feel up to travelling Bella? Only I'd like to move from here when Peter gets back if you think you could stand a drive?"

"Oh... sure. Where are we going? Not Forks I guess. Does Charlie know I'm OK?"

"No, I haven't told anyone yet. I just don't know who to trust Bella and if I tell Charlie he'll pass the information on."

"You really think someone in Forks is responsible?"

Bella

He got up and walked to the window looking out through the blinds as he answered me,

"I'm pretty sure someone in the family is involved and probably more than just Alice."

I felt my heart rate go up at his words and he turned smiling encouragingly,

"I will keep you safe this time Bella."

"This time?"

"Well I didn't do very well last time did I?"

He sounded as if he blamed himself for what had happened so I decided to get things out in the open, I had too many questions whirling around in my head and I still didn't feel safe or comfortable although I didn't really believe that Jasper was a danger to me.

"You said someone from the Cullens was involved, why? And why was it you who came looking for me and not Edward? Why did whoever took me say they were using me as bait but then send you the text?"

I looked into his face as he answered, making sure he wasn't keeping anything from me as Edward sometimes did, but Jasper was frank and open,

"Bella, let me start at the beginning, it will make more sense, at least I hope it will. You were gassed in the cab and taken to an industrial unit. Which means it was organised beforehand, not opportunist."

"How do you know that?"

"I tracked the cab driver down and he told me."

The way he said that made me think the driver wouldn't be taking any more fares but I decided not to ask, at least not for now.

"So someone knew I would give you the slip at the airport and grab a cab, but who knew what James would decide? We saw when Alice got her vision of the ballet studio, there wasn't time for anyone to organise things."

"Not quite, we saw when Alice told us about James and the ballet studio but we don't know when she first saw it all. Either she saw it earlier and told someone else or someone else in the family organised it all with James."

"But no one knew we would meet James at the baseball game did they? And after he started tracking me no one was alone long enough to organize anything. Perhaps it was Victoria or Laurent."

"Why?"

"I don't know, to help James I guess, but why should Alice or one of the others want me out of the way?"

"That's the million dollar question. First we have to work out who had the opportunity to organise it. James was the only one who knew what he was going to do unless he told his companions but why then did Laurent come to warn us and not tell us everything?"

"Victoria?"

"Same question, why? If she and James were mates then she would have gone with him to Phoenix but she hadn't been at Renee's house, Only James."

"So we're back to Alice but why? She was with you and I all the time, Edward was with Carlisle and Emmett, and Esme was with Rosalie which means more than one person and the question is the same...why?"

"I don't know yet Bella, except that I think you were just a pawn, a lure for me it seems. As for why Edward didn't come looking for you I don't know that either. Perhaps he is, he had to go back to Forks or Charlie and the Phoenix police might think he had run off with you or at least he was responsible for your disappearance, especially as you two had an argument just before you left. The trouble is that no one knows where you vanished except Edward, Emmett, Carlisle, Alice, and I, and only Alice knows you were even at the airport other than us two. This was preplanned which means previous knowledge of what was coming and that keeps leading me back to Alice."

"Alice is my friend, your mate, why would she do this to me? She's put you in a difficult position too if you really haven't contacted anyone since you came looking for me."

"A more important question might be what were the plans for you? You'd been held drugged for days moved from place to place. Do you remember anything at all that might help? Peter and I know who was holding you when we found you but he isn't behind it, he takes orders and I don't see his commander being the one to organise this either, she's not that subtle and you would be dead by now. I have to tell you Bella that Alice and I, well according to your abductor we aren't mates. I don't know why but they seem to think you are my mate."

"There must be a mix up somewhere I guess...but there is a question I really need a truthful answer to. I have to point out that you had the opportunity, you could have been in it with Alice. You two volunteered to run me south away from James. You chose Phoenix not Edward or me. If Alice saw what James planned you had time to arrange things, get me to the airport early knowing I would try to give you the slip. You could have been waiting when I used the other exit from the rest room. You could have arranged the special taxi, or drugged me yourself and taken me to the cab. Alice would have covered for you if you weren't back when the others landed. Did you? Is this all some elaborate game Jasper? I have no idea why you would do it but it's as sensible as any other theory."

Jasper

I hadn't consider that possibility entering Bella's head but of course from her point of view it was all too possible. I, alone or with Alice, had the perfect opportunity to plan and pull this off and I thought it was brave of Bella to point it out to me. If I were guilty and thought I'd been discovered I might decide to kill her so she couldn't tell anyone else.

"What would be our, my, motive Bella?"

"I don't know but I don't see anyone else's motive for kidnapping me either Jasper. As far as I know I don't have anyone who hates me enough to plan this. I don't believe it was James and Victoria though, he would have killed me straight away and Victoria would have watched laughing as he did it. No, this is someone else."

"And you think its me?"

She looked at me for a long time, biting her lip and looking at her broken finger nails, broken from scrabbling inside the chute, before she lifted her head again looking more frustrated than ever.

"I want to say yes because it fits. It all fits so well."

"So what's your problem Bella? You've been told how dangerous I am so why can't you just say yes I think its you Jasper?"


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

Bella

I wasn't sure how to explain my thoughts because they were more a feeling than a thought but after accusing him the least I could do was to answer his question.

"My head says it must be you, with Alice's help, but my guts tell me that's wrong. I don't think you play games Jasper. I think you see life far too seriously for that. So, I guess my answer has to be no I don't think it was you Jasper and I think I'm in less danger because you are here with me but I don't know why I say that and that scares me even more."

He nodded, his face blank but his eyes full of conflicting thoughts much like mine. Suddenly he seemed to come to a decision and took out his phone offering it to me.

"If you have any doubts Bella ring Edward, or Alice, or Charlie, whoever you feel safest with. Tell them where you are and ask them to come pick you up."

I looked at the phone a few inches from my fingertips then shook my head. He couldn't tell me why Edward hadn't found me instead of him or why he had come alone. I wanted to believe him so much, to be able to relax and know I was at least temporarily safe but it was hard. I had never been scared of him despite the little I'd heard so I decided to go with my instincts for now but I would be careful all the same. I could see in his eyes that he felt my suspicion but I couldn't help it, so much had happened to me.

"Why haven't you contacted anybody? Told them I'm OK, got some help other than Peter?"

"Until we know what's going on I'm not contacting any of them unless you ask me to. The only way I can prove my innocence to you is by being totally honest with you so here goes. I want you to trust Peter and I and only us. Until I can prove someone's innocence they are guilty and will be treated as such."

I wondered just for a second if perhaps this weren't a scheme he had just thought of to keep me from speaking to anyone but that was dismissed as quickly as it appeared. I would trust Jasper but it hurt that Edward hadn't tried to contact me or find me, after all I was his girlfriend not Jaspers. I didn't understand this mix up about Jaspers mate, it was all too much for me, my head was spinning.

Jasper

I saw Peter coming back and turned to Bella,

"Are you ready to move on? Peter's back so we can leave, if you trust us that is."

She hesitated then nodded and grabbed the jacket I'd picked up for her, it was a little baggy making her look like a vulnerable child and I longed to take her in my arms but I knew that was more likely to freak her out so I kept my distance until she moved closer,

"I trust you, I don't have much choice but you are here and no one else is so OK. I trust you to keep me safe, you and Peter."

"Thank you for putting your trust in me Bella, especially as you know so little about me."

"Only dark comments which always seemed very dramatic to me. Carlisle apologised for you when we first met and Alice made a big thing about telling you that you wouldn't hurt me. I never felt as if you would though. Why did they make such a big deal out of it? It was as if they were nervous of you themselves."

"One day, one sunny day, when you know me better and there are others around I'll tell you my story."

I laughed,

"See you're as bad as they are. Stop making yourself out to be a monster Jasper, I know what you are."

His smile was faint and he looked in pain,

"Bella, you have no idea what I am trust me on that, but I'll never hurt you I promise."

I got a feeling deep inside that told me Jasper was speaking the truth and managed a tentative smile and trying to lighten the mood I thought of something,

"I'll look on you and Peter as my personal guard, like the Musketeers. D'Artagnan and..."

Jasper

Peter came in at this point and stopped, looking at her,

"So on two feet now? You're learning fast Bella Swan. Shall we go? I don't like hanging around, we could be traced."

He turned and walked out without waiting for an answer and I could see she was a little taken aback,

"You'll get use to him Bella, it just takes time."

I followed her out to the car which Peter had backed up close to the door and she climbed into the back,

"Keep that pretty little head down until we get on the highway. I don't want the nosy fucker in the office to see you, its safer if he doesn't."

I had been called many things during my long life but never a Musketeer and it made me smile that Bella should see me in that way.

Peter

We drove more slowly the deeper into the forest we got until we came out in the camp site. It was obvious no one had been here for some time which suited us so I picked the cabin closest to the trees opposite in case we had to make a quick getaway and forced the door, sweeping it open and waiting for Bella to join me which she did a little hesitantly but I got the impression that was because she was shy.

"After you Bella, it's not much but its home for now"

She glanced back to The Major then went inside looking around curiously.

"Its fine, just a little dusty."

As she went through to the other rooms I heard a sigh of contentment,

"A tub, I didn't expect to find one of those but can we get hot water?"

"Sure, there's a stove here to heat it."

"Won't it give away the fact we're here?"

So she had a brain too!

"I think if we light it at dusk we should be OK. Just enough for the tub but you won't be doing a lot of cooking."

"Can I heat water for coffee?"

I smiled,

"I think we can arrange that for you. So Bella Swan, what did you do to end up here with us and where is Alice the Viper?"

She looked at me and smiled,

"I take it you aren't a fan of Alice Cullen?"

"Can't stand the bitch personally."

"Oh right"

She was taken aback by my bluntness so I thought I'd better fill her in,

"Bella, I'm going to be something of a culture shock to you I'm sure. I'm not refined and I don't mince my words but if you play fair with me I'll return the favour. I can't stand all this shit about being nice and tying everything with a little pink bow, life sometimes deal up bad things and that's when I'm at my best, along with The Major."

"Why do you call Jasper The Major?"

"He hasn't told you?"

She shook her head,

"No, but he promised to fill me in on his history later,"

"Then I'm afraid I can't tell you much but he's my best friend and a good man to have watching your back."

"Well I need that. The trouble is I'm not sure who I need protection from."

She sat down back out on the porch where there was a breeze and watched as The Major came back through the trees having done a perimeter run.

"It looks fine for now but keep your radar working Peter."

"Will do, now you gonna hunt or do you plan on torturing yourself some more first?"

Bella looked up sharply and gasped,

"Oh Jasper I'm so sorry. I never gave it a thought. It must have been really difficult being so close to me and thirsty. You go, I'll be safe with Peter for a while."

He knelt down beside her with a tender look on his face, one I'd never seen there before,

"Are you sure Bella? I won't go if you would feel too nervous alone with Peter, I can wait a while."

I kicked his butt with my booted foot,

"Major, enough of the martyr, Bella's gonna be fine with me, now fuck off."

As he almost fell backwards Bella giggled and I gave him a "see, she's fine, now piss off" look.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

Bella

I could see that Peter and Jasper had a very deep and special relationship, the kind that I'd never been fortunate enough to have with anyone and I nodded as Jasper looked back once before taking off into the trees then turned to Peter,

"So, are you going to tell me a bit about yourself as you light the stove?"

"Christ woman you sound like my wife, she has me on the go from morning to night too. Come on then."

I followed him inside and sat at the kitchen table as he broke wood over his knee and fed the stove, the flames licking up the chimney.

"Have you known Jasper long?"

"Too fucking long. We served together in Mexico."

I wanted to ask him about that but it wouldn't be fair and Jasper had promised to fill me in eventually so I asked something different.

"How did you get changed Peter? Have you been a vampire long?"

"Wow, straight to the heart of the matter I see. Well I've been a vampire since about 1880, I was caught during a fight, not my fight by the way, I was an innocent bystander who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Why do I find that so hard to believe?"

He looked at me in astonishment then grinned,

"You sure you're not related to the Cullen witch? You got me down pat or did The Major tell you?"

"No, he just told me you were a good friend."

"He did? I don't usually get such a good press. Well anyway I got caught and changed in Mexico and I was there for a long time. I met my wife there, she'd been changed by the same vampire and we decided to make a break for freedom. Vampires, well newborns didn't last very long with Maria and Charlotte was marked down to be killed. The Major helped us escape."

"And he went with you?"

"No, I went back for him a few times and in the end he saw the writing on the wall and came along. We all lived together for a long time but then he split, next thing we knew he was with her, the Cullen bitch. After that we didn't see much of him."

"But you came when he asked for help."

"That's what friends do Bella. Or at least in my world. Now its my turn to play quiz master. You were tied up with one of the Cullens?"

"Yes Edward."

He raised his eyebrows and shook his head in disbelief but I carried on. I told him about discovering what the Cullens were and falling for Edward Cullen. How we started dating and the baseball game although I knew Jasper must have already filled him in and he kept asking questions as if checking my story against his.

"This James decided he wanted you?"

"For some reason yes, so while Edward and the others stayed to put him off the scent and kill him Alice and Jasper ran me south but James found out and contacted me, told me he'd got my mother and would kill her if I didn't go to him."

"How?"

"I took a taxi."

"No, how did he find out where you were?"

"Oh, I don't know, he's a tracker."

"He may be a tracker but there's only one I know of who would find you that quickly and it's not James. How did he contact you?"

"He rang from my mother's house to my cell phone. Told me to get free of my friends and meet him at the ballet studio I used to attend when I was a little girl in Scottsdale."

"So, he knew where you came from and all about your past. But he didn't have your mum?"

"No, but Jasper said he had been to her house, I think she was out."

"Lucky Bella's mum. So you managed to evade The Majors senses and the bitches second sight flee the hotel and make your way to the ballet studio?"

"No, not exactly. Alice decided we should go meet Edwards plane, he'd heard James had worked out I wasn't in Forks any more and was flying to Phoenix to protect me."

"Edward Cullen? Protect you? Good luck with that one! Why didn't he just come to the hotel?"

"Alice said we should meet him at the airport and it gave me an opportunity to slip away."

"How?"

I told him exactly what had happened and saw an evil smile creep over his face,

"No fucking way Bella. Excuse my language but there's no way Alice didn't see you running off whatever she says. She's in it up to her pretty little neck. You know something...I've waited years for that bitch to show her true colours and she's finally done it. I told him she was bad news but no, he thought he knew better. Stupid blind fucker."

"So you think she's involved too?"

"Don't you?"

I hesitated before agreeing because it felt like a betrayal of Alice but I couldn't see how she didn't know what was going on and he was seeing things the same way Jasper did, coming to the same conclusions.

Peter

Bella was intelligent and thoughtful, she was also loyal and I saw how much it upset her to think the people she had trusted had betrayed her but she didn't close her eyes to the truth and that sent her up in my estimation.

"Does The Major have any idea who else is involved?"

" No, but he said you knew who had been keeping me prisoner but he said he wasn't the brains."

"Yeah well he's right on that score. Nathan couldn't complete a five piece puzzle unless four of the fucking bits were already in place. He follows orders very well, that's it."

"He didn't think someone called Maria was involved either, he said she wasn't as subtle as that."

"True, as subtle as a fucking sledgehammer she is. You'd be dead or in the newborn army by now, no, some else is behind this."

She bit her lip and I could see she was close to tears so I decided to change the subject,

"Water should be warm enough by now, why don't you get a bath. I'll rustle up some dinner for you. Do you mind what?"

"No, as long as its dead and cooked."

I couldn't help laughing, a human who could joke about our diet!

"Ah Bella while were getting everything out in the open I suppose I should tell you I hunt humans not animals."

She froze in the doorway and I waited for the reaction but it wasn't the one I expected,

"Oh right... I'll find a towel if you could fill the tub."

"Does nothing scare you Bella?"

"Yes, cold bath water, so move it Athos."

"Who?"

"Well Jasper is D'Artagnan one of my Musketeers and you are another so I officially name you Athos."

"Was he the good-looking one?"

"I read about him once, it was said he could appear arrogant but it hid an intense loyalty and deep capacity for friendship."

Thinking about this I wondered what the same source had said about D'Artagnan so I asked her,

"He was described as charismatic and ridiculously brave with a strong sense of justice."

"OK, well as long as he's not better looking than me I can live with that."


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty One

Bella

I enjoyed my soak in the tub without any fear of Peter coming in, I trusted him because Jasper did, but then I heard a tap on the door and froze,

"Bella how long do you boil eggs for?"

I relaxed and put a hand over my mouth to stop myself laughing,

"About four minutes, at least that's how I like them,"

"Then stir yourself girl or they're gonna be too well done."

I got out and dried quickly pulling on a pair of jeans and a jumper that must have been bought for me by either Jasper or Peter because they were almost my size but a little tight. I didn't mind though, I felt clean and fresh at least until I got into the kitchen. Peter was disappearing behind a blue haze as the toast started to smoke so I grabbed it out of the grill quickly, burning my wrist in the process. As I cried in pain he grabbed my wrist with one cold hand,

"Are you OK?"

I nodded and as he moved his hand I felt the burning starting again,

"Could you keep your hand there for a minute please, it stops it stinging."

"Sure. Sorry Bella, cooking was never my forte."

"It was very kind of you to make the effort for me. I think I'll give the toast a miss but the eggs will be fine."

They were a little hard-boiled for my liking but I didn't say anything, I wouldn't have upset him for the world.

Jasper

As I got back the smell of burned bread was overpowering and when I looked in through the door Peter appeared to be holding Bella's hand and this made me deeply unhappy so I moved inside quickly,

"Everything OK here?"

Peter dropped her hand and stepped back, he could sense my anger but Bella hurried to explain,

"Peter cooked me some dinner and I grabbed the toast, it was burning. Being as clumsy as usual I burned my wrist and he was just helping me, stop it from stinging."

I felt better hearing this and took her hand in mine to examine the burn. There was an angry weal on her wrist which was just beginning to blister so I covered it with my own cold hand and Peter smirked.

"Did you find something to feed on?"

I looked back at her,

"Yes thank you. Sorry I was so long."

"That's OK it gave Athos a chance to get me a bath."

"Athos?"

"Yes, I have two Musketeers now so I don't need to worry at all."

"Yeah, and I'm the better looking one..."

I looked at Peter confused, and he explained,

"I checked before accepting."

I looked at him even more mystified as Bella grinned at him then looked up at me again.

I wasn't sure how to approach the next subject so I just blurted it out,

"Bella I was wondering if you shouldn't at least ring your mum and dad, let them know you are alive, they must be frantic."

She looked shocked, her eyes going wide as she took my suggestion in,

"And tell him what? That I was abducted? Drugged? He's going to throw a fit Jasper. He'll insist I go home and we both know I'm not safe there."

"He's your father and he's worried. At least let him know you're safe."

"Are you telling me to go back, that you won't look after me any more? If you are then I'll leave now but I'm not going back until I know who I can trust."

She got up, tears of anger in her eyes and went to the bedroom slamming the door behind her.

"Well you sure fucked that up Major! You gonna put things right with her? Tell her the truth?"

"The truth?"

"Don't try to kid a kidder Major. You know exactly what I mean, there's no way you'd let her go, you couldn't if you tried."

I wanted to argue but I wasn't sure I could, he was right, I just hadn't wanted to admit it, I was still confused as to why it took so long for me to recognise what she meant to me. I nodded and followed Bella in to the bedroom. She was sitting on the bed sobbing, her hands over her face, and I sat beside her putting my arm around her heaving shoulders very gingerly,

"Bella, I will never allow you to walk into danger I promise you. I never meant that I would leave you to face this alone. I just thought you should speak to your father, tell him that you are safe, that you are staying with a friend until you sort out your feelings for Edward. Tell him you ran away because he was pressuring you."

I hesitated unsure how she would react to my next words,

"Bella, I came looking for you because I was scared you were in danger and it was my fault. I had to make sure you were safe and I was suspicious that at least one of the family had to be involved in your disappearance. I will find out who did this and I will make sure they can never threaten you again. Bella, I think I might be at least partly responsible for Alice's actions, you see I have feelings for you and perhaps she's seen that and she's jealous."

I waited as Bella's sobs died away and stiffened as she looked at me with red swollen eyes.

"What?"

I waited unsure what she wanted to hear and she rubbed her face to dry the tears then spoke again,

"I don't understand Jasper. Alice is jealous of me? Did Edward know? How long has this been going on? What are you saying?"

Still I hesitated sure I'd just made a big mistake, possibly my biggest ever, so I took my arm away and stood up.

"I'm sorry Bella. I know I had no right and now was a stupid time to tell you, I've just made things far worse. I'm going to leave you in Peters capable hands, you'll feel better with him. I won't be far away though, until you decide what you want to do."

I moved towards the door, my hand on the door knob when I heard her voice,

"You leave me now don't ever come back."

I turned unsure what she meant, was I to leave and never come back or was she telling me if I left now I could never come back? So I stood my mind in ferment, unable to move.

Bella

I wasn't entirely sure I understood anything that he'd just said, I couldn't bring myself to believe what I thought I'd heard. If I had got it right then Jasper had just admitted he had feelings for me and Alice at least knew, but why would he be interested in me when he had her? Was it possible that if he did have feelings for me that he had orchestrated all this himself to get me alone with him? No, I couldn't believe that, he was one person I had never felt was a threat to me. Could it be that Edward had heard his thoughts and that's why he was so anti Jasper, why I had been warned off him? I glanced at him as he stood silent and unmoving by the door knowing that if he left now I would never be able to trust him again and I would never want to see him again. I would go back to Forks collect my things and leave the whole Cullen family behind moving back to Phoenix and if Victoria, or Alice, or whoever it was, found me then so be it, it would be my punishment for getting involved in the vampire world. I had to admit to myself that I was willing him to turn round and come back to me but my head was telling me I was crazy to even think that. It told me he would open that door and walk out of the room and out of my life. Without conscious volition my mouth uttered a single word,

"Please"

It was so quiet I was sure even vampire senses wouldn't catch it and he didn't react at first then I saw his shoulders slump and he turned to look back at me. In his face I saw such anguish, such indecision, that it almost broke my heart because I knew his heart was telling him to come back to me but his head was screaming at him to go, that he was putting me in danger and I suddenly knew exactly what to do. I got up and stood facing him,

"Jasper there is only one person in my world at the moment that I trust, even more so when he opened his heart to me and if he leaves then I'm left totally alone and I don't know how I'll survive then. I need you D'Artagnan, more than ever."


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty Two

Jasper

Bella's words hit home and almost staggered me, I felt something shift deep inside and I turned back to look at her, although her face was tear-stained her eyes were alive with yearning and they pulled me to her. My feet moved on their own and I found myself standing in front of her.

"Bella, I really don't know what to say now but I'm here for as long as you want me and I will keep you safe from anyone who threatens you."

She touched my face with a shaking hand,

"I know. Just put your arms around me and hold me please."

I did as she asked feeling her trembling body mould against my stone one. I had never held Alice or Maria like this. Neither of them had ever received comfort from me in the way Bella did. Wherever this went I was ready and I could cope. She rested her head against my chest and whispered,

"Thank you Jasper"

I picked her fragile body up and sat on the edge of the bed placing her on my lap and she sighed moving her head to my shoulder and slowly relaxing as my touch calmed her. We stayed like this for quite a while then Peter rapped quietly on the door and Bella lifted her head but didn't move.

"I was just thinking, if it is Alice maybe we shouldn't trap ourselves in one place, who knows what she's playing at. You think she's hooked up with the Volturi? If she has we're toast you know that don't you?"

He laughed ruefully but Bella didn't see it in quite the same way and snapped,

"What exactly is it that you find so amusing Athos?"

"Whoa Bella, just remember I'm working for you, not fucking Richelieu."

Bella

Realizing I'd been wrong to snap at Peter I apologised instantly,

"Well now we've established what a good guy I am, what the fuck are you going to do Bella? You gonna ring your dad or not? It might be good not having to watch out for the human authorities as well as the bad guys in our own world."

He was right but I hated the thought of letting anyone know where I was, who would Charlie tell? And could I give him enough reassurance to call off the search parties? I looked at Jasper for guidance,

"I'll back you whatever you decide to do Bella."

"But you still think I should ring Charlie?"

He held me even closer,

"It makes no difference, no one is going to find you until we work this out."

"I'm not going back there until I know who was responsible for what happened to me. I can ring Charlie and tell him I'm OK but I'm going to need some time. That the split with Edward is permanent and that he can tell Renee and the authorities. I'm more afraid of Alice finding out I got free and finding another way of hurting you Jasper."

"Well I hate to disappoint you but that's not exactly fucking news Bella, she's been putting the boot in ever since she met him, he's just been too fucking blind to see it."

Jasper turned on Peter ready to give him a piece of his mind when Peter grinned,

"Now see, if it weren't true you wouldn't be getting your panties in a twist Major. It's just as well Bella knows what a pussy you are now rather than finding out later."

I saw in Jasper's face that he knew there was no point in arguing with Peter. I got the distinct impression that you couldn't win with him. He just sighed,

"Get ready to move out soon Peter. You can bet Alice will have seen where we are and I wouldn't put it past her to set the cops on us."

"I'm ahead of you Major, the car's packed ready to go. I'll wait outside so you two can finish your talk."

The dynamics between Jasper and Peter were complicated and confusing but they were very close so I'd figure it out eventually, for now I took a deep breath and dialled Charlie's number.

"Chief Swan here."

"Dad it's me, Bella."

"Bella? Bella where the hell are you? I've been worried sick, Do you know half the police forces in the country are out looking for you?"

"I'm sorry dad, I didn't think things through, I just ran, I was so upset and angry with Edward."

"Never mind about him, what about your mother and me? We had no idea where you were, what had happened, she's been worried sick, her house was burgled and she thought it was something to do with you. We both thought the worst. Where the hell are you young lady?"

"I needed some time on my own, I'm not ready to come home yet."

"Not ready? What's that supposed to mean? You aren't old enough to be running around the country and just how are you supporting yourself?"

"Don't worry dad I'm fine, I just need some time. I can't see Edward yet."

"Don't you worry, he won't be coming here again after what he's done. Bella I want to know where you are."

"I'm really sorry dad but you need to call the police off, I'll be home soon."

"Bella are you with another guy? Is that why you argued with Edward? Did he find out you were two timing him?"

"No. And if he says anything different he's lying."

I could hear that Charlie didn't really believe me so I cut the call short.

"I have to go dad but I'll ring again soon. Tell mum I'm OK please."

"Bella don't you dare put this phone down on me, I need to know where you are."

"Sorry dad."

I gave Jasper back his phone as Peter came back in his hand outstretched.

Peter

As no one else had pointed out the possibility of the phone calls to Charlies being traced, I decided I'd better.

"I think we need to move folks. Just in case the spy in the sky has a fix on that cell phone having rung Charlie's. In the meantime it might be a good idea to give me that phone."

"Why?"

"So I can send it on a nice long journey somewhere, give the cops something to chase if they have pinpointed it."

She handed it to me with apologies to Jasper who didn't care, he just wanted her safe and he was sure to have another tucked away somewhere.

"Hey, if I'd had a brain I would have stopped you before you made the call not wait till afterwards. Anyway folks how about a nice trip to Silver City, it's far enough but not too far so we don't have to be on the road too long and its close enough that we can sneak over the border if we smell trouble."

"Into Mexico? Are you crazy Peter?"

"No I'm the one with the brain cells still working rather than the gonads Major. If the cops come looking for Bella we can slip over and then slip back further along the border, we know plenty of places that are unguarded. We don't have to go anywhere near the Mad Mexican."

Bella looked at us questioningly but neither of us were about to fill her in on Maria, she'd never sleep again! Hell I had trouble relaxing this close to Mexico but you played the cards you were dealt and we were here, I just hoped Maria didn't know we'd fried her best commander.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty Three

Alice

As I drove away from Port Angeles I saw that Nathan hadn't finished the job as he was supposed to, he'd allowed himself to be caught by Jazz and his obnoxious side kick Peter which meant he was dead, Maria would be livid and my job wasn't yet finished. It was at times like this I cursed my gift for not working just at the time I needed it most, why didn't I see the things I needed to see in time to prevent them happening? Still it wasn't the end of the world although my boss wouldn't be happy to get Maria bitching in his ear. I wondered whether to stay around at least for a little while longer, it might be advisable. I might even be able to throw a spanner in the works from a distance. I wanted Jasper dead, he was a threat to me as long as he lived, especially now he knew I was behind the whole thing. I should have let my friend continue her interference, I wasn't sure it would work once the pull was established but it might be worth a small experiment. I would find a nice hotel in Seattle and make my plans from there. I wanted to know what was happening with the Cullens too, Emmett had left although he had no idea how to find Jasper or Bella and I was sure that neither would trust him, another pleasant after effect of my meddling, I was really enjoying this assignment.

I chose a small boutique hotel close to the center of the city and after a few hours of retail therapy I was ready to work once more. Sitting in a comfortable chair I closed my eyes and let my gift take over, trying to see what everyone was going to be doing in the near future. It was difficult with so many strands to weave together, so many people's actions to watch and my head hurt by the time I finished so I ran myself a bath full of rich aromatic bubbles and stepped in, taking my phone with me. Emmett I could more or less discount, he would be stumbling about like a blindfolded boy for days and although he was disgusted with Rose she was still his mate and he would be feeling her absence which would cloud his thought processes so I cut his future adrift. Rose would be licking her wounds and trying desperately to find a way back into Emmett's affections so she could be discounted too. As for Esme and Carlisle, well they would try to trace Jasper and Bella but I knew my cunning ex partner too well, they would never find him unless he wanted them too and Bella was with him. I could ring and let them know where to find the two fugitives but I doubted they would believe me, after all neither of them trusted me any longer so that was out.

Firstly I rang my talented friend,

"Alice, I hoped I'd hear from you soon. You have my payment?"

"Of course but I wanted to ask you if you could interfere once the connection is made."

"Why? Did you pull me off too soon?"

"It would appear so, my other friend turned out to be less than reliable."

"Well I can try but it wont be as effective, it might cloud things a little, really I need to have my subject before they meet the other."

"I know and you did a wonderful job but would you try? Anything that confuses things would be a help, there's a little extra in it for you of course."

"Very well but I wont be able to tell you how effective it is, that will need someone close by now."

"Never mind, I'll find out but if you'd keep trying until I contact you again."

Well that wasn't as bad as I'd thought but I cursed myself for not keeping her on the job longer. I should never have trusted Maria's man to get the job done and she wasn't going to be happy to find out he was dead. I had contemplated asking her to take out Jazz but she would enjoy it too much and there was always the chance, slight though it was, that she might just decide to keep him and we both wanted him out of the way permanently. The next call was going to be the tricky one but it had to be made so I dialled and waited nervously for the call to be connected,

"Alice, I hope you have good news for me."

"I do, part of my mission is completed but I have a few loose ends to tie up."

"Loose ends? Why does that give me shivers down my spine?"

"Its nothing really, just a little delay. One of my...assistants blundered slightly."

"Meaning?"

"The Major is still alive and the human girl."

"What? You told me you had it all figured out."

"I did but you insisted I use one of Maria's men, you told me he was the best."

"Was?"

"Yes he's dead and I'm not looking forward to telling her."

I hoped he would offer but no such luck.

"I assume she has already been paid?"

"That doesn't concern you. What does however is getting your hands on him. I want him dead Alice Cullen or you wont be getting paid for all your hard work."

"I understand. I'll sort it out don't worry."

"Oh I'm not worrying but you might want to if this drags on any longer."

He cut the connection and I dropped the phone on the bathroom floor sliding down under the surface of the water. I hated speaking to him, he always ended the conversation with threats although I'd never let him down yet and I didn't intend starting now.

I needed to get Bella away from Jasper for my friend to have a good chance at influencing things again but that might be slightly difficult especially with Peter around too. The bath had worked its magic, I felt good again so I got out and as I dressed I tried to see where they were going to be in the near future. It wasn't easy as they kept changing their minds as they sought for a good hiding place but then I saw it and had an idea, it would be perfect, absolutely perfect. I would know exactly where they both were, hinder Jaspers efforts to keep her safe and it would give me time to get something organised to take him out permanently. Another brilliant plan by the amazingly talented Alice Cullen, God I'd be glad to get rid of that name at last! I rang someone I knew would be only too happy to help out again,

"You did a great job in Forks and Phoenix and now I wondered if you'd like another chance at Bella Swan."

"And find myself like James?"

"James was an idiot and you know it, you were only with him because I asked you to."

"True but I was fond of him. Does it mean going up against The Major because I may be crazy but I don't have a death wish."

"Not if you follow my orders no."

"OK, tell me what I have to do."

I outlined my plan, or the bit she needed to know about. I didn't expect her to actually get at Bella but it would give them something else to worry about and that was always a good idea when playing rough with The Major.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty Four

Alice

I knew just which buttons to press in order to set my plan rolling and I dialled Edwards number and waited.

"Edward"

"Well Alice?"

She raised an eyebrow,

"Well what?"

"Where is she Alice? That is why you're ringing I'd imagine. I came back to the house to find it in uproar, Emmett gone, Rosalie in hysterics, Esme screaming at the top of her voice and Carlisle quietly fuming. As my favourite sister had also disappeared I saw your not so subtle hand at work. You are responsible for all this aren't you? You were going to let James kill Bella? My mate Bella Swan?"

"Calm down Edward you're beginning to sound like Rosalie. For starters she wasn't your mate but your singer, don't confuse the two. Secondly James was never going to kill her, I just told Rose that so she'd help me."

"And that makes things OK I suppose?"

"No, not yet but I'm getting there. I made a small mistake allowing Jazz to go off on his own after her but if you still think she's worth anything to you I am willing to help you get her back from him."

There was a long silence and I was glad he was too far away to read my thoughts,

"What are you planning now Alice?"

"Look do you want Bella back, away from Jasper or not? Of not then I'll leave her with him, they seem to be getting along very well if you know what I mean."

"Jasper? And Bella? And I'm supposed to be comfortable with that am I? My girlfriend goes missing, organized I find out by my own sisters and now she's playing happy families with my bestial foster-brother?" Where are they? I'll go and get her myself."

"Edward, let's be serious shall we, you couldn't beat Jasper on his worst and your best day so stop with the fairy tales."

"The what do you suggest?"

"So, you're willing to listen to me? Just one thing, you mustn't tell the others. If you do, I'll warn them myself. Understood?"

"Yes OK" He snapped unhappily.

"I just happen to know where they're going to be and Charlie is still annoyed and upset, he wants his little girl back home so if you were to tell him where he can find her then he can ride in and save her. Jazz will have no choice but to back off if Charlie goes in with the local police and I doubt he'll let her out of his sight again. A quick word in Jacobs ear and Jasper wont be able to get anywhere near her. Of course you wont either unless Charlie feels magnanimous but I think you can live with that. Besides I see your own mate turning up every soon and I can help with that too."

"My mate? Who? When?"

"Oh no, you scratch my back first Edward then I'll tell you."

"How do I know I can trust you Alice? You haven't exactly proved yourself trustworthy."

"Well look at it this way Edward, whatever happens you get your own back on Jasper for tempting Bella into his arms, stealing his brothers girlfriend and if I am telling the truth you get information leading you to your mate so you can't lose can you?"

The silence this time was even longer, God how difficult was it to decide? I already knew he couldn't resist the offer and as a matter of fact I had seen his mate and I could introduce them and when he said yes and I could see if it worked then, and only then, would he get his reward.

Charlie

I was furious with Bella's attitude, she was still in my care and I wanted her home so I arranged to get a trace on the cell phone if she rang again. I grabbed a beer and went into the garden to finish up a few chores I had been putting off when I saw Edward appear round the side of the house,

"Chief Swan."

"Edward, I take it you've heard from Bella too?"

"Yes, that's why I'm here. I found out where she's going and I thought you might like the opportunity to see her face to face."

At last some good news,

"Come and join me. How'd you find out?"

He told me how while they were speaking he'd heard someone in the background mention where they were going.

"They?"

"Yes didn't she tell you she was with someone? It was a man's voice I heard."

He explained and left asking that I let him know if he'd been of any help while I went back inside and grabbed a bag throwing some clothes in and arranging to have Eddy cover for me while I went to get my daughter back. I arranged a flight to New Mexico, Edward had told me that she would be at a motel in Silver City in two days time and as soon as I landed I went to the local police department to speak to the Chief. He was very helpful, he knew about Bella's disappearance and we had met before at a conference,

"So you finally got a lead on your daughter, I'm glad Charlie. It's a real worry when a teenage girl goes missing. Do you know who took her?"

"I think she may have snuck off by herself after a row with her boyfriend."

"Well it happens. I guess we can leave it to you to punish her for wasting police time Charlie?"

"Oh yeah, you can bet on it Hank."

Alice

Although I would have liked to see Peter Whitlock on the wrong end of the law with Charlie holding the rifle I knew I would have to make sure they got just enough warning to get away without Bella. I would have to follow their movements very closely, it would take careful timing. Let Bella talk her way out of this one. At the very least she wouldn't cause me any more problems, Rose couldn't get at her with Charlie playing the heavy-handed father which I had just seen he would. It just got better, she'll steer clear of us and she can hardly say anything without getting everyone in trouble and possibly causing danger for her own father. Emmett will be pleased she's back but if he thinks he's going to contact her he has another thing coming. Bella Swan will be strictly out of bounds to everyone and at the first opportunity Victoria will try her luck and be taken down by either Jazz, or Emmett maybe, although I thought he was too slow to catch her. Maybe even the wolves might get her but while they were all tripping over each other I would send in my own man to do the job. Killing Bella Swan would destroy Jasper mentally and that would make it a lot simpler to take him out. Job done and with it a chance for a holiday before my particular talent was needed again, I deserved it after all the time I had expended on this one.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty Five

Peter

We headed south to Silver City, it wasn't that big but there were enough people for us to be just a part of the crowd and Bella stayed hidden on the back seat Neither of us were under any suspicion so we were able to drive into the city in the evening and find a convenient motel smuggling Bella into the room unseen.

"Right folks well great as it is to spend time with you two love birds I'm getting a little uncomfortable, I think I need to hunt, you be OK for a few hours Major?"

He scowled at the term love birds but I didn't give a fuck, besides I enjoyed winding him up, I didn't get enough chances. Bella smiled as I left and I promised to bring her back something,

"Pizza do you?"

"Thanks and a huge coffee please, I'm suffering from withdrawal symptoms."

I grinned and winked,

"Anything you say. Behave you two."

I didn't plan on going far or being gone long, there was sure to be a run down area close by where I could get a meal. I looked around and tested the air, yeah, I could smell drug polluted blood from here and I headed east.

Bella

So it was just Jasper and I for the first time since he told me that he had feelings for me and I just didn't know what to say so I took my time washing my face and hands and cleaning my teeth trying to think of something to say that wouldn't sound stupid. I wondered just how long Peter would be away and how thirsty Jasper was. I couldn't remember whether he'd fed since he went when Peter first arrived. Was my proximity a problem for him? As soon as Peter came back I would insist he went out to hunt, I didn't mind spending time with Peter, I could quiz him some more about Jaspers past although I didn't think I'd get much more out of him. When I went back into the bedroom Jasper had turned the TV on and was sitting flicking through the channels but a soon as he saw me he turned it off,

"Don't let me stop you."

"I was merely wasting time until you came back."

"Really? I'm more interesting than CNN?"

"In my eyes most certainly. How are you feeling now? Have the drugs flushed through yet?"

"I think so, I don't feel tired any more but still a little woolly. Do you think it would be safe for me to go out and get a drink?"

"I'd rather you didn't. I can get you something. What would my lady like?"

"I think I'd like a cold coke."

"Your wish is my command. I'll be back in a minute, there's a vending machine by reception and if they don't have any I'll run to the store, its only a block away. Keep the door locked until I get back."

"I will. Be careful D'Artagnan."

Being really brave I walked up close to him and kissed his cheek,

"Thanks for everything."

Jasper

I didn't like leaving Bella alone but I'd only be a few minutes, ten at most, and I thought she'd be OK for that but I did curse when the vending machine was out of order. I looked back but it was very quiet so I set off at a slow run, I didn't want to call any attention to myself. The store was further than I thought and there was a queue so I was getting anxious by the time I finally got Bella's coke and set off back to the motel. The store was further than I thought and there was a queue so I was getting anxious by the time I finally got Bella's coke and set off back to the motel. As I turned the last corner I saw blue lights flashing and cursed breaking into a run that was too fast but not caring. Outside our motel room three cruisers were parked and as I watched from the shadows I saw four cops emerge surrounding a slight figure who held herself, her arms wrapped around as she looked into the shadows. The last figure to come out was suddenly illuminated by a car coming into the parking lot and I recognised Chief Swan. How the hell had he found her? Alice, of course! I started forward when an arm came round my chest and pulled me back, further into the shadows,

"Calm down Major. We'll work this out but there's no point in you getting caught too. I felt something was wrong and came back as fast as I could. Malice the Boa Constrictor I assume? They didn't have time to arrange this from her calls?"

"Not with her father no."

"Her father was there?"

"Yeah, he's the one getting in the back with her."

Peter peered out again,

"Man he looks pissed! She's in for a rough ride Major. So, we off to Forks?"

"You coming with me?"

"Hey, you think I'm leaving you to have all the fun alone? No fucking chance. We can't go back in there so its good we never leave the important stuff in the room. Lets get to the airport."

Bella

As soon as I saw the blue lights I knew Charlie had found me and I cursed but I was relieved that neither Jasper nor Peter were here to be caught too. I hoped they saw what was going on and hid from the police, somehow I knew they wouldn't be far away wherever I was and that was a comfort. Dad didn't say much he just acknowledged my presence and checked that no one else was hiding in the bathroom before coming out with two bags, one Jasper's, the other Peter's, which he upended on the bed and scattered the clothes looking, I presumed, for any indication of who the bags belonged to but there was nothing in there to identify my saviours and he left the clothes taking my arm and guiding me out to the closest cruiser. I tried to look round but I couldn't see any sign of Jasper before dad pushed me into the back seat of the cruiser and slid in beside me slamming the door. He looked at me sternly,

"So, you gonna tell me who the clothes belong to?"

I ignored his question closing my eyes and leaning back in the seat.

"You gonna tell me anything? Why you ran? Where you've been all this time? Who broke into Renee's? No? Well you're coming back to Forks with me and trust me, I'm gonna be keeping a good eye on you young lady."

The other cops didn't say much, they seemed happy to leave things to Charlie and I guess I wasn't surprised when they drove us straight to the airport.

"You take good care of her Charlie."

"Thanks Hank."

"No problem, glad we found her unharmed. There are some crazies out there."

We sat in silence waiting for our flight to be called until he looked at me again,

"You want something to eat or drink?"

I shook my head remembering the coke Jasper went out to get me and felt a tear roll down my cheek. I wiped it away with the back of my hand hoping Charlie hadn't noticed but of course he had and he took my hand,

"Bella, calm down or you wont be allowed on the flight and trust me young lady, we are going home if I have to get you sedated to fly."

I pulled my hand away from his and sat looking at my feet wondering if Jasper and Peter were close enough to see how upset I was, if they were I just hoped they wouldn't try to get me free, it would only cause even more problems. When our flight was finally called Charlie took my arm and walked me to the plane as if scared I might run off. I tried to pull free but he shook his head,

"When that plane takes off I'll let go, until then you and I are joined at the hip. If I lose you again Renee will have my guts for a necklace."

He made me take the inside seat and then sat in the aisle one and instructed me to put my seat belt on which I did with a sigh then sat back and closed my eyes again, remembering the scene between Jasper and myself, was that it? Would I see him again or was this goodbye? I couldn't believe that or my heart would break in two. As it was my chest hurt and the sobs broke free muffled by my hand and the tears fell as I felt the plane take off, carrying me away from him.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty Six

Peter

We took a cab to the airport but didn't go in until the flight to Seattle had taken off, we couldn't afford for Charlie to see and recognise The Major and I knew the mood he was in he was quite capable of killing all who stood between him and his mate so we would follow on the next flight headed that way. Besides she was with her father and surrounded by other humans sop she would be safe enough for a while. There was nothing we could do for now but I knew it wasn't over, not if The Major had anything to do with it. I'd seen the look on his face and heard his words, he had it bad, he'd found his mate now all he had to do was make sure she knew it and get her away from her father without killing him!

"So Major, what's the plan? You want to fly to Washington or go back to the ranch and regroup? After all Bella isn't going anywhere, not with daddy watching her every move which also means Malice the super bitch can't get at her either. His phone went then and he glanced at the screen,

"Talk of the devil...What do you want?"

"That's no way to talk to me Jazz, I'm beginning to think you don't care any more."

"I'm waiting"

"Sorry about Bella but she really should be home with her daddy not running around the country with the likes of you and that tame Doberman of yours. She's a human Jasper and she should stay that way. Look in our world if you need a lay."

"Is that all Alice?"

"Yes I think so. Bye Jazz"

"That fucking bitch. She needs teaching a lesson."

"Later Peter. For now I need to work out a way to keep Bella safe. I don't trust Alice or any of the others. I need to be close enough to keep an eye on her."

"OK, but we need help Major. Extra eyes, so let me contact Charlotte to meet us there."

He nodded and I could see real pain in his eyes, he was scared for the first time, scared for his mate who was out of his sight and beyond his protection.

Alice

I probably shouldn't have baited Jazz that way but I couldn't resist. Finding the number of his new cell phone had been awkward but I too had friends with contacts. So Bella was on her way back to Forks but Peter was calling on Charlotte to join them, I thought she was due to be away longer. It made things more of a challenge but it would be more fun. I had been putting off the call to Maria but I had to bite the bullet and get it over with so decided to do it while I waited for Bella to get back home.

"So Alice Cullen, finally I hear something. Where is my commander? He didn't ring in and he was due back, I knew I shouldn't have let him go to help with your crazy plan."

"Just a minute, you didn't let him do anything, you were ordered to and secondly I have no idea where he is. His mission was over, perhaps he decided not to return to Mexico."

"Or maybe he's dead? You tell me, you see things, see him for me."

"I don't see the past Maria, only the future and I wasn't looking for him, I had other things on my mind."

"You want me to come looking for you Alice Cullen? Maybe I should send some newborns to visit."

"Don't threaten me Maria, if you are unhappy then speak to your boss."

"I have no boss, I run my own life."

"Really? I'm sure he'd be interested to hear that. I know he thought he could rely on your...assistance."

"I lost a good commander, he was very valuable to me."

"Stop bitching and ring him if you aren't satisfied."

I rang off well aware that Maria wouldn't ring, she couldn't afford to rock the boat, as long as she cooperated when she was asked a blind eye would be turned to her little adventures, if not then...who knew"

Bella

Charlie didn't speak again during the flight and I only asked him to move when I needed the toilet and came straight back, where else could I go? I refused any refreshments despite his coaxing and just sat with my eyes closed and my arms wrapped around me. I knew Alice was responsible for this and I didn't know how but I vowed I would pay her back for all she'd put me and Jasper through, Rosalie too. As we landed in Seattle Charlie tensed and I turned to him,

"Don't worry dad I'm not going to run."

"No, you are not and I'm going to make sure of that so you stay close to me."

We got off together and he took my arm like one of his suspects as we walked out into the terminal and took a cab to the police headquarters in the city where Charlie bummed a ride for us back to Forks. His friends in the Seattle Police Department were relieved that he'd found me and congratulated him while I was subjected to a lecture on the dangers of a young girl running off on her own all the way home. Dad made it sound as if there were a serial killer standing on every street corner!I was glad when the journey was over and I was allowed to go up to my bedroom. I grabbed some clean clothes and went to have a shower but when I came back he was standing on the landing a screwdriver and hammer in his hand,

"What's going on?"

"I put a lock on your window."

I pushed past him into my bedroom and slammed the door, so my room was now a cell. I looked where I'd dropped my cell phone on the bed but it had gone and my computer was missing too. So, I couldn't even speak to anyone or e mail. I dropped onto my bed and pulled the pillow into a hug wishing it were Jasper instead. I cursed the Cullens and my dad, James, and Victoria.

Charlie

I knew Bella was angry with me and I understood that she felt I was trapping her but I wanted to keep her safe. She had been with two men not just one and I dreaded asking the question that was in my mind but I guessed I'd have to unless Renee came as she threatened. I rang her to let her know I had Bella back home and she was safe,

"Oh thank goodness Charlie. Who was she with?"

"She was on her own when we got to her but there were signs that she'd had companions, two of them."

"Girls?"

"No, men by the look of the clothes."

"Oh God Charlie had she been...you know."

"I don't think so Renee, at least she hasn't been acting as if she were forced into anything. As to whether anything happened well I haven't asked her yet."

"Don't. I'll fly up. Its best asked by a woman Charlie."

I wasn't going to argue with her, I'd learned it was better to let her have her way, at least as far as she was concerned but I needed to know so I went back up and knocked on Bella's door but got no answer,

"Bella can I come in?"

"Why not, it's not locked is it?"

I opened the door and stepped in, the only light came from the bedside lamp and I could see she was in bed, hugging her pillow and not looking up.

"Bella, I just spoke to your mother."

"Great"

"She's flying up and like me she's concerned about your time away. There were two bags in that motel room, full of men's clothes."

"So?"

"Who were they?"

"Why don't you ask the motel manager?"

"We did, he said one guy paid for the room but there was another one, in the passenger seat, he didn't see you. He said the guys were young. Who were they?"

She didn't answer and I sighed and sat on the edge if her bed,

"Bella I'm concerned, what happened with the guys? Did they pick you up? Did they give you money?"

"If you're asking did I have sex with them then no I didn't. They were perfect gentlemen."

"Really? Well I'm glad to hear that. Where did you meet them? Did they ask you to ring me? To stop me looking for you?"

"No that was my idea. I stupidly thought if I let you know I was OK you'd give me some space. I wont stay here."

"Yes you will unless you want to go back with Renee but I don't think she's going to be very happy with your behaviour and until your birthday you are our responsibility."

She laughed bitterly at this,

"Really? We'll see. I don't feel safe."

"Why? You think they'll come looking for you?"

"They don't worry me, Edward worries me, the Cullens worry me, you worry me."

I was beginning to think she'd been brain washed!

"Bella, Edward knows he isn't welcome here any longer and I seriously doubt you need worry about any other of the Cullens."

"If you say so."

I wasn't going to get anywhere with her in this mood so I said goodnight and went to bed myself but I left my door open and slept with one eye open, just in case.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter Twenty Seven

Edward

So Bella was back in Forks but unfortunately she'd been alone or so Carlisle told me. He'd heard from the deputy who brought a drunk in to be checked over. It would have been interesting to hear how Jasper Hale would talk his way out of that one. Charlie made it very clear that he didn't want any of the family anywhere near the house or Bella, not that it was going to be a problem, the only person who would feel it at all was Emmett. Still we were leaving Forks at the end of term, Esme was upset because she liked it here but she was used to moving at short notice and soon agreed as it was for the good of the family, what was left of it. Emmett when Esme rang him to tell him about Bella being back safe told her he wouldn't be returning, at least in the short-term, he couldn't bear to be close to Rose. As for me I did wonder how far my dear brother got with Bella, if I ever saw him again I'd have to ask him!

Bella

The next morning I was awake early and got up to have a shower but Charlie had beaten me to it and was cooking breakfast when I got downstairs. I sat at the table in silence as he put a plate of scrambled egg and bacon in front of me.

"Eat while its hot then we're going to have a frank exchange Bella. Your mother will be here in a couple of days with Phil and I want to know what's been going on before she tears me a new one."

"I'm not hungry and I have school."

His fist hit the table so hard my plate jumped with a clatter,

"You will eat your breakfast and then we will talk. You're excused school the rest of this term, I'm going to get you a home tutor if, and its a big if, your mother doesn't insist on taking you back to Phoenix."

I pushed the plate away and crossed my arms,

"You want to starve yourself, be my guest"

He took the plate and tipped the contents down the waste disposal then threw the plate and cutlery in the sink before sitting down opposite me with a mug of coffee,

"Aren't you at work today?"

"And leave you here to your own devices? I'm off for the next couple of weeks so don't get any ideas Bella. Now we've got that out of the way lets talk about your little escapade. Where have you been the past few weeks?"

Charlie

Bella had no idea how worried I'd been or how angry and embarrassed I was now, to have my own daughter take off after the terrible things she'd said to me only to be found in a motel with two men. It was almost more than I could take, I felt my blood boil at the arrogance in her silence.

"Well?"

She just looked over my shoulder at the wall ignoring me,

"Bella, I'm your father and I insist on some respect from my daughter."

"I was in Phoenix and then Silver City."

"Who with?"

"I was in Phoenix and then Silver City."

"So you're refusing to tell me who you were with?"

She didn't answer, just moved her gaze from the wall to her hands.

"Your mother will want to take you back to Phoenix with her, would you like that?"

She didn't answer me,

"Yeah I'll bet you would, you could slip off then to your friends whenever you like. You know something I wish I'd fought for custody of you when Renee left, I should have known this would happen. You're just like her you know, she was an alley cat when I met her, running around the countryside getting up to God knows what with different men. I offered her a home, all the love she could ever want...but it wasn't enough. No Renee wanted her freedom, to follow her crazy schemes and men. I'm amazed you turned out as well as you did, you must have seen plenty living with her."

I could see her jaw tighten but still she didn't say anything,

"I wont let you go, not this time or you'll be off just like she was, sleeping around, getting up to all sorts. She isn't responsible enough to keep you on the straight and narrow but I am and you are staying with me young lady. You'll stay here in Forks, finish your education and get a place in college if you've proved you can be trusted."

"And if not?"

"Then you'll stay here until you can."

"What are you going to do? Keep me locked in the basement? Once I hit 18 there's nothing you can do. I can go where I want, with who I want."

Bella

I knew my best move was to keep silent but he made me so angry with his high-handed ways.

"Well, you have a while to go yet before your birthday and just maybe I will have knocked some sense into you before then."

"You're going to hit me?"

I didn't believe Charlie capable of physical violence but there was a hard gleam in his eye as he stared at me,

"Do you think it might come to that then? Is this a fight? Are you baiting me Bella?"

I shook my head,

"No."

He took a deep breath to calm himself as the phone rang then pointed a shaking finger at me,

"Don't you move."

He grabbed the phone keeping his eyes on me,

"Chief Swan."

"What?...So you're not coming after all? You really don't care do you Renee? I blame you for this, she's just like you woman."

He slammed the receiver down with a curse,

"Well it seems your mother isn't coming after all. After speaking to Phil she's decided you would be better staying here with me. She doesn't feel she is competent to control you because she's going to be travelling a lot. As she reminded me, it's why you came here in the first place and as she enjoyed telling me this never happened when you lived with her so its all my fault. Looks like it's just you and me Bella."

I got up,

"Where are you going?"

"To clear the dishes then go back to my room. I assume that's allowed?"

"It might be a good idea and while you're there think about this, you are in my house, under my authority, and you will do as you are told."

I could feel his eyes on my back as I washed up and dried the dishes before going upstairs fuming at both him and Renee. She just discarded me, left me to Charlie now I'd proved I could be a problem. I wondered just how long he intended to keep me a prisoner in the house. I didn't expect it to last too long, after all he had to go back to work some time didn't he? As soon as he did I would find a way of contacting Jasper, I needed to speak to him, I needed help and I needed him close by, I missed him so much it hurt. Had I really fallen in love with a vampire this time?


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty Eight

Peter

We flew up the following day and rented a car for the drive to Forks,

"We'd best stay clear of town, you know Alice will have seen you arrive? Do you think it's a trap leading us here?."

The Major nodded,

"Its a fair enough assumption, perhaps we should get somewhere in Port Angeles as a base, keep a low profile until we know what's going on, although Alice will probably see that too."

"Sure to have, so it will be good to have another pair of eyes. Ring Charlotte for me will you, her flight should be getting in late tonight so I'll go back and collect her. You hunt and stay away from Forks."

He nodded but I wasn't sure he even heard me, I could see his mind working, testing out possibilities but until we knew the score in Forks it was impossible to arrange anything.

"Do you think the bitch will throw another spanner in the works? If she tells Eddie the Ass Hole we're here or even Charlie it could make things difficult."

"She won't tell Charlie, its too dangerous, she might tell Edward though, just to keep us on the move. The more off balance we are the more difficult it will be to arrange something with Bella."

"Then we don't rent a room, we stay in the forest above Forks, good hiking and hunting area I understand."

Alice

So the game was on again, the guys were being very careful but they couldn't hide from me and I could see that my friends influence had very little effect, he had it bad and it was almost impossible to break through that bond but it was working in my favour in as much as he was getting desperate to see Bella, to know she was safe. Seeing that Peters mate was going to be joining them I thought I might be able to throw another curve ball their way. Charlotte would be a good lever to prevent Peter helping Jazz any longer. He was a real pain in the ass as it was so after a little thinking time I made another call,

"Would you like to earn some money?"

"Depends what I have to do to earn it."

"That's OK I don't want you to kill anyone, in fact I want you to arrange a kidnap. I just need a...pest caged for a while. You don't even have to stay on and babysit, just do the deed and leave the prisoner in a safe and secure place which I have ready and waiting."

"Really? OK I'm interested, tell me more."

I explained my plan and she was more than happy to help me, the only thing that could have been a problem, who Charlotte actually was, didn't come into it. My friend had never heard of the Whitlocks, she was a real sweetie but not the brightest star in the firmament. I had begged my sire to change my friend too but he was a little late, she had undergone surgery in the asylum and the venom wasn't able to mend all the damage done. Rebecca was willing and would do anything for me and that came in useful on occasion. So my human life as related to the Cullens and Jazz hadn't been total lies, I just altered the dates and locations, after all what woman wanted her real age out in the open?

"Now listen carefully Becky, I have a storage facility in Seattle where I keep some valuables, its very secure and private. All you have to do is to lock her in there for a while, easy see?"

"How do I get her to the storage unit Alice?"

"I'll buy you a car and you can tell Charlotte that Peter, her husband, sent you to pick her up."

I went through the whole plan with her carefully as I knew I had to but she picked it all up fairly quickly and I was very happy when I finally hung up, plan sorted, but I would watch her to make sure she didn't mess up. I also needed another body to organise the delay for Peter, and Victoria was in the right place already so I coaxed her into arranging that.

"OK but it will cost you more, I want to get the job done and get out of this place, I don't like being so close to them."

Them being Jasper and Peter,

"As soon as you finish this little job you will only have one of therm to worry about, Peter will be busy looking for his own mate. Now, you have the details?"

"Yes, OK Alice but if I think it's too dangerous then I'm leaving the girl, I prefer to keep my life and I wont go one on one with either of them."

"I understand Victoria and you'll get paid either way."

I was beginning to regret using her, she wasn't as brave and dangerous as I thought and I did wonder whether it might be better if the wolves did take her out, I'd have to wait and see but it was always an option. As I'd done all I could for now I decided to relax for a while do a little more shopping and then make my way to the storage depot keeping far enough away that I wouldn't be scented by Charlotte if Becky played her part correctly.

Charlotte

I expected to see Peter waiting when I got through arrivals even though I was early knowing how much he'd missed me but instead I saw my name written on a card and held by a young woman, a vampire. As I walked over to her and spoke she smiled brightly, there was something a little strange about her, as if she was a little overwhelmed by the crowds.

"Charlotte, thank goodness, I wasn't sure I would recognise you that's why I used the card. Did you speak to Peter?"

"Not since we arranged for me to fly in why? Where is he?"

"He and Jazz got held up in Forks, Bella has been trying to contact them and finally got through. Charlie, her dad had to go out for a few minutes and they went to collect her. I know we don't actually know each other but I know Jasper from Forks and he asked me if I would help them out so I said I'd pick you up. I hope you don't mind."

"You know Jasper?"

"Yes, his brother Emmett introduced us, I like him he doesn't make fun of me like most people."

I could understand why they might. She looked like a little girl playing at dress up, a little unworldly, but you never could tell and if the guys hadn't sent her then who had? She saw my hesitation,

"Don't you like me?"

She sounded wounded,

"Emmett said it would be OK if I helped Jasper but if you'd rather speak to him first..."

"No that's OK... sorry I don't know your name."

"Oh sorry, I'm Becky. Well are you ready? I have a car waiting outside and I'm pretty sure airport security wont be too happy if I don't get back. The very nice security man offered to help me for a few minutes but I'm gonna get towed if we don't leave now."

"I think I'll just ring Peter to let him know I landed early before we leave."

"Oh OK, I'll be outside when you finish."

I took out my phone to ring Peter and check as she disappeared through the sliding doors but I couldn't get a signal so I decided to try later. I followed Becky outside where sure enough she was climbing into a little red sports car and chatting gaily to a security guy she'd obviously dazzled.

"Ready Becky."

She turned her dazzling smile on me and motioned me to get in before blowing him a kiss and taking off, a little too fast, out of airport onto the Port Angeles road. I could see what guys would see in Becky, she was happy and bouncy, a mixture of a child and a woman very sweet and innocent.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter Twenty Nine

Peter

I should have left earlier but I didn't expect my journey to be so difficult, the crash blocking the road was bad enough but the boulder fall at my back made me slightly nervous and fucking annoyed. I could have moved the damn things myself if there hadn't been any witnesses but as it was I had to wait for a bulldozer. Then a cruiser came up behind me and I heard them calling in the hoax accident, the one that had closed the road. I cursed turning the car round, I'd been played, and as soon as I was out of sight I put the accelerator right to the floor. I didn't like this one bit, two coincidences? Was there someone behind it all and if so...why? It wasn't for a few miles that the obvious hit me, Alice fucking Cullen was trying to keep me away from the airport which meant something was going down there and the only thing possible involved Charlotte. If she hurt my mate I'd pull her liver out through her mouth and beat the shit out of her with it! I went as fast as I could but I knew it wasn't fast enough so in the end I pulled the car onto the road side and ran the rest of the way avoiding the traffic jams and clawing back a little lost time. As I stopped close to the airport I smoothed my hair down so I didn't look like a wild man and walked as slowly as I could force myself into the terminal where I smelled Charlotte, so her plane had landed. Looking up I saw that it had been twenty minutes early, when was a flight ever fucking early? I scanned the terminal looking for her but then I smelled another scent, one that had me cursing, another vampire, that meant Charlotte could be in trouble and I tried to follow their scents but lost them outside, how the hell had whoever it was persuaded Char to go with them willingly? Why the hell hadn't I phoned to check if the flight were early? Why hadn't Charlotte phoned me when she landed? I needed answers and soon.

Alice

I'd seen Peter was on his way but I also saw there was a stretch of road which was a cell phone black hole and my timing had been spot on, my gamble paid off. Charlotte had given up trying and ran after Becky as I knew she would. As they took off I checked my timing again, they had about thirty minutes to get off the highway before meeting up with Peter coming the other way and the storage facility was about twenty minutes on so it would be close but I saw they would make it. Even if he checked his cell phone again which I doubted as he was too anxious to get to the airport there would be nothing he could do, he was out of time and out of luck and going to lose his mate, at least for a while. I thought my boss would probably be happy if I killed Charlotte Whitlock but she might be a safeguard for me so she would live, for the moment. The tiny bug in the car I'd supplied Becky with was working fine so I could listen in to their conversation. Charlotte asked her about Bella which had me worried for a few seconds but she remembered what I'd told her.

"Oh, she's human but a little different. I think she has some kind of spell over men, they all seem to like her, even Emmett and Rosalie got very jealous."

I looked at my watch, she was right on schedule but I was glad I'd decided to come to keep an eye on things. I waited and then heard Becky again,

"I just have to pick something up for Jasper, I hope you don't mind. It won't take a minute."

She pulled in to the storage facility keying in the code I'd given her to open the metal gates and drove in.

"He asked me to pick up a box from his unit, now what was the number"

I tensed but then she exclaimed,

"Oh yes I remember, it's just here."

"Fine. I'll stretch my legs and try to get hold of Peter again."

I smiled knowing her phone wouldn't work now, I had put a small box of tricks under her seat which I was assured would fry any cell phone getting close to it and sure enough I saw her look at it in frustration as Becky opened the door of my unit with another code. As instructed as she walked in then turned to look back,

"Is something wrong Charlotte?"

"My cell phone has died for some reason."

"Oh, you can borrow mine if you like."

Becky offered her the use of the new cell phone I'd given her for the purpose, holding it out, and Charlotte followed her inside. I had already set the trap and she walked straight into it. I knew Becky couldn't out fight her but with a little ingenuity I had a strong metal cage made with a sliding door which dropped down as she walked inside. It was meant for Bella originally but I had found an alternative use for it. She whirled as she heard it crash down and looked at Becky shocked and angry.

"Sorry Charlotte, but as my mother always told me, don't trust strangers, not ever. I'm not trustworthy at all, I'm not really a friend of Emmett or Jasper either, I'm Alice's friend. Now be a good girl and with a little luck she won't make you stay here long, its horrible when you ate locked up all the time but hopefully you'll only be here a little while. Alice told me that this cage is made from really strong metal so you wont be able to bend the bars. Oh yes, she also told me the bars are connected to the electrical supply so you have to be careful. Now I have to go, its been nice to meet you Charlotte, bye for now."

As Becky backed out smiling and waving Charlotte launched herself at the bars and was thrown backwards by the shock. Becky shook her head and tutted,

"I warned you, you should have listened to me."

As Becky skipped back to the car I emerged from my hiding place,, still keeping out of Charlotte's line of sight, shut the unit door and jammed the lock just in case she found a way out. It wouldn't stop her but it might slow her down. I was fairly confident my little prison would hold her but you never knew with the Whitlocks, they were very resourceful and I liked to be thorough. Then I watched as Becky drove off before running back to my own car and taking a long route back to Seattle. I really didn't want to chance bumping into Peter or Jazz now.

Charlotte

I heard Becky's car drive away and kicked myself soundly for believing her, I'd never hear the last of it from Peter that was for sure. I sat down on the floor and considered my situation, I was somewhere between Seattle and Port Angeles and I needed to get out of here as quickly as I could. I was pretty sure I could get through the bars but the electrification was more of a problem, it wouldn't kill me obviously but it could prevent me from getting a grip on the bars if I couldn't find a way to short-circuit it. I emptied my pockets looking at the contents, a plastic comb, some dollars, and my passport. Not much help there but I was wearing a belt. I checked the buckle but like most things these days it was coated plastic not metal, damn! No help there so I looked around the larger unit, I could see something that might be of use, a coil of wire leaning against the cinder block wall. If I could get it within reach I could use it to short-circuit the cage. I flicked my belt out between the bars and found it was just about long enough to touch the coil but how was I going to snag it? Thinking fast I tied the comb to it after breaking out most of the teeth to leave a kind of hook shape. I threw it again but it missed, it took a dozen throws but eventually I snagged the coil praying it wouldn't be too heavy for the plastic and jerked it. The coil fell over catching the hook and I slowly pulled it closer. It slipped off a few times but I persevered and finally it was close enough that I could reach through carefully and grabbed the free end of the wire and pulled it slowly through until I had about eight foot of wire inside the cage then I snapped it.

Now I needed some way of earthing the wire so as I stripped back the thick insulation on both ends I looked around then saw the ideal thing, the storage unit had a metal frame with cinder block walls and if I could find a way of getting the wire to touch one of those I was home free. The closest one was just beyond arms reach so it meant balancing the wire between the bars to touch it. I made a hook and holding the insulation slid it over one of the bars then holding the other end about three-foot back I threaded it back through the bars until it was hovering close to the metal strut. Saying a quick prayer I pushed the wire against the strut. There was a loud bang and a shower of sparks and I waited a few minutes before chancing a touch of the bars. Just cold metal, it worked! I didn't wait any longer but took the bars between my hands and pulled. The metal was tough but I was tougher, I was also pretty angry and that gave me an extra boost. Within two minutes I had bent enough bars to slip through, right Alice Cullen, this meant war! I kicked the unit door a few times and it buckled before flying open and I ran out straight across the compound and jumped the perimeter fence with an exhilarated cry. Once free and through the trees I stopped to take stock. I had no idea exactly where I was but I knew I needed to head north-west and did so running as fast as I could. I could imagine Peter's frustration and confusion when he got to the airport and found me gone. He would smell my scent but what would he make of Becky's? Would he realize straight away that Alice was behind it or would he think I'd run into someone I knew? He might waste time looking round the airport for me and I wasn't sure if my capture had been a way of stopping him from helping The Major or a diversion to enable her to reach Bella. I just hoped they wouldn't leave her unguarded to find me, I could look after myself even If I had made a real cock-up of it this time. I guess I was getting rusty, it had been many years since we had needed to be watchful which wasn't an excuse for blindly walking into a trap but it was the best I could console myself with at the moment.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter Thirty

Jasper

I didn't like the idea of us being separated but Peter was right, the more eyes the better especially when our adversary was Alice. I knew Peter was right about Bella too, I should stay away from her and hunt until he got back but I couldn't do it, she pulled me like a satellite being attracted to it's sun. I needed to see Bella, reassure myself she was safe and unharmed. The sensations running through my body with the uncertainty of the situation were unbearable and I made my way slowly and cautiously towards Forks and my personal sun. My phone rang as I ran and I recognised Peters number I answered quickly,

"Problems?"

"Yeah, Char's plane landed early but she's not here and some fucker held me up so I smell the stench of Alice Cullen. I'm gonna search for her Major. Sorry but you'll have to hold the fort alone a bit longer. Just try not to get into any fights until I find her and get back."

"Do you need help?"

"No, that's just what Alice would be hoping for. Get closer to Bella and stay there till you hear from me. If Char turns up..."

"She will Peter. Good luck."

I ran even faster to be closer to Bella, I wanted to make sure Alice hadn't got to her too.

Bella.

Charlie was being a real pig because I wouldn't tell him anything, I'd never known my dad to be really angry but he was now, more than angry he was livid and the atmosphere was getting more and more tense.

"I'm not telling you anything Dad so stop asking."

He hit the table again, he'd done a lot of that in the last hour and it was beginning to scare me.

"Damn it if I have to beat it out of you I will."

Then I lost it,

"Well go ahead then if it makes you feel better, go on hit me."

He jerked as if I'd hit him not shouted and then it happened, I saw the moment he lost control and ducked as his hand came round fast the whistle of wind as it passed close by made my ear hum. I put a hand up to protect my face from another attempt but instead he picked up a chair and threw it across the room to smash against the kitchen wall. The chair splintered and the pieces flew around the room one sticking in my calf and making me shout in pain.

"You think that was scary? You speak to me like that again and it won't be a chair but your hide."

I pulled the wooden spike out of my leg and threw it at him,

"I'm not frightened of you."

I shouldn't have answered him back because it only enraged him further and he kicked the table which slid forcefully into the wall gouging the plaster as it hit and I ducked down unsure what he might do next.

Charlie

Bella's pained cry brought me to my senses, what the hell was I doing scaring my little girl? I should never have lifted a hand to her, I'd never done it before and I vowed I would never do it again. I dropped to my knees and took her in my arms,

"Bella I'm so sorry honey. Please forgive me."

She pushed me away and got painfully to her feet before shooting me a look of fear and disgust and limping upstairs, her bedroom door slamming shut. I looked around, the room was a mess, the chair had shattered and there were pieces of wood everywhere and a large smear of blood on the floor near one discoloured piece. I picked the wood up and opening the back door threw it out into the yard then I washed the floor and tried to scrub the marks where the chair and table had hit the wall but it needed new plaster and paint so I left it for now. Getting a beer out of the fridge I popped it then made a strong coffee and a took it and a bottle of Tylenol upstairs to knock on Bella's door.

Bella

Once in my bedroom I stripped off my pants and checked my calf, there was a deep gash which was bleeding quite a lot so I hobbled through to the bathroom and grabbed a towel soaking it with cold water and then limped back pushing my dresser against the door before collapsing on my bed and wrapping the towel around my calf. My leg was going to be a beautiful colour by the next day and it throbbed, great just what I needed, thank goodness it was just one leg! I heard my dad clearing up in the kitchen then his footsteps coming upstairs. He knocked on my door but I ignored him then he called my name waiting for a reply which didn't come. I heard him try the door and soon realized I had barricaded it.

"Bella let me in. I've got you coffee and some pain killers. I'm really sorry honey, I shouldn't have lost my cool."

He waited then,

"Bella? Bella? Are you OK?"

He was beginning to panic now,

"Go away."

"Bella come on let me in. I need to see your leg, you're bleeding."

"No. Go away."

He tried to push the door open but the edge of my bed was stopping the dresser from sliding across the floor and I just lay there until he stopped trying.

"OK, I'll leave your coffee and the Tylenol out here. You can get them when I've gone downstairs. I promise I wont force myself in."

Charlie

I knew I'd blown it with Bella and I had no idea what to do now, I hoped she would feel better in the morning and speak to me then. If she didn't then I'd have to try again, I was seriously worried about the blood I'd seen on the kitchen floor. I sat in front of the TV but not watching it and put my head in my hands, what had happened to me? I had never lost control before and I'd been confronted by all sorts in my job. Bella had worried me sick, especially as she wouldn't tell me what she'd been doing and I wondered whether Edward or Carlisle knew more than they were letting on, I might have to get in touch again if Bella continued to be stubbornly silent. The phone rang and I considered leaving it but then got up and went through to the kitchen and picked up the receiver,

"Chief Swan"

"Charlie, how's Bella? Can I speak to her?"

"No Renee she's asleep. She's still refusing to say anything though."

"Well maybe you aren't approaching her the right way."

"Then why don't you get yourself up here and talk to your daughter yourself Renee."

"Charlie! You know I would but its difficult, besides I'm in Hawaii at the moment."

"Right, well you're obviously really worried about your daughter then. I'll get her to ring you when she's feeling more like socializing shall I? If you can fit her in of course."

I know I was being sarcastic but I'd had just about enough of Renee and her "I know better" attitude.

"I'll ring in the morning Charlie, perhaps you'd tell her. Make sure she's there."

"Where else would she be Renee?"

I put the phone down before I said something I would regret later and took myself to bed stopping outside her room to say goodnight and take away the cold coffee although I left the Tylenol hoping she might pick them up in the night.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty One

Peter

I drove out of Seattle letting instinct take over and praying the mating pull would lead me to Charlotte. If Alice had harmed her in anyway I wouldn't stop until I found the bitch and beat her to a pulp. Something was telling me to head towards Port Angeles although whether it was the pull or something else I couldn't say, the only thing I knew was that Char was still alive, if she'd been killed I would know, the pain would be disabling. As I got closer the feeling intensified, she must be close. I peered out of the windscreen then I saw a figure in the distance just out of sight of any humans driving the road and accelerated pulling up just ahead and winding my window down,

"Need a lift beautiful?"

She ran to the car and ripped the door open and then she was here with me safe and unharmed if furious.

"Peter, I'm so glad to see you. Is Bella OK?"

"The Major's on his way to her now but I haven't heard anything so I'm gonna take it that's a good thing but what the fuck happened to you?"

I listened as she explained what happened at the airport and I knew she was angry at herself for being taken in by this Becky.

"I think Alice is around though. I didn't see her but I don't think she would have trusted her friend altogether, Becky was a little slow, I think she must have been brain-damaged when she was turned."

"Yeah probably one of Alice's friends from the asylum, she should have stayed there the bitch!"

I couldn't release her, needing to hold her close and reassure myself she really was unharmed.

"We'd better let the Major know you found me then hunt. After that I think we should get his mate away from here. Its far too dangerous for her to stay in Forks, especially if Alice is here as I suspect."

I nodded and pulled my phone out to give him the good news.

Jasper

I was almost at Bella's when my phone rang and I answered hoping for good news from Peter,

"I found her Major. That fucking bitch locked my mate in an electrified fucking cage and when I get my hands on her I'm going to rip her fucking head off and use it as a football."

"Join the queue Peter."

"Hows Bella?"

"I'm almost there now and all seems quiet but I'll stay close by, find me when you've hunted and well arrange an extraction plan. If Char is right and Alice is here somewhere we need to get Bella out."

Although I couldn't see her I could feel her presence. She was angry, scared, and tired, and I tried to send her my love but I heard rustling closing in so faded back into the trees to see who was approaching.

Bella

I couldn't get comfortable, my leg was throbbing and I had a headache from all the tension. I wondered who it was on the phone but then did it matter? It wouldn't be anyone for me unless it was Renee and I didn't want to talk to her, or anyone else for that matter. Where were my Musketeers when I needed them? I sat by the window but I couldn't see anything for the continuing rainfall. I wondered when I would see him again and if he was missing me as much as I missed him. Putting my cheek against the cold glass I watched as my breath misted the pane until I couldn't see anything then I wrote Jasper in the mist, wishing he was here with me now and wondering if he was inside or out in the rain somewhere close by. I hoped Peter had returned to the motel in time to be with Jasper, I hated the thought of him being alone especially here in Forks where it seemed we both had enemies we hadn't been aware of in the past.

Jasper

I saw two wolves looking up at my perch and I knew they wanted to talk and I wasn't intimidated by them, I could win if it came to a fight, they were young and inexperienced fighters so I jumped down and stood waiting for them to phase. Jake changed first and stood, his face a mask of hatred, as the other also changed back to his human form. This was one of his friends,

"Does your Alpha know you're out alone cubs?"

"Don't be fooled by our youth old man. Why are you here? Busy spying on Bella and her dad?"

"Watching my girlfriend actually".

I knew my words would anger Jake more, I wanted to see just how far he could be pushed and if the Alpha were close by, their stink masked any others that might be near.

"She's not your girlfriend."

"You know that do you?"

"She told me."

"Jake don't lie."

He snarled and I saw his body start to quiver so I smiled, turning to the other boy,

"You'd better calm your friend before he does something stupid."

Sam

I knew Jake was spoiling for a fight but this wasn't the time or place and it certainly wasn't the opponent. I recognised The Major and knew that Jake didn't stand a chance as things stood. If he was going to take on Jasper Whitlock he would need the rest of the pack and I wasn't prepared to put my pack at risk for a girl who didn't even want our help. I tensed but Paul who wasn't the most level-headed,but was with him, stepped closer and took Jake's arm telling him to cool it.

"Good call wolf boy. Now why don't you take your friend back to the Res before he gets hurt. Bella Swan isn't interested in him and she's not looking for protection from me so you have no excuse for being here. In fact I think she asked you to leave her alone Jake didn't she? You should learn to take no for an answer before someone shows you the consequences of ignoring such a word."

Jake started to snarl again and I could see Paul becoming wound up too, I had to give him his due, Jasper Whitlock looked cool and calm and knew exactly what he was doing, he was sounding my pack members out to see just how good they were at controlling themselves. I walked out to join the others and Jasper smiled,

"So Sam Uley, I thought you might be babysitting your cubs. Why don't you tell Jake the truth?"

"The truth?"

"Yes, that Bella isn't interested in him and that the pack has no remit to act off the reservation unless there is danger to human life and their help is needed. Bella's life isn't in danger and she isn't asking for your help. Remember you can't even use the ignorance excuse because she knows exactly what I am."

Jasper was right although it galled me to admit it.

"Paul, Jake, stand down. He's right, you have no business here, Bella isn't in danger and he isn't threatening her. Jake she's not interested in you, let it go."

Jasper

Jake was so angry his fists were tight balls and his teeth clenched, he hated being ordered around in front of me and I gave him a triumphant smile,

"See, even your own leader agrees with me. Go home Jacob Black, forget Bella Swan, she isn't yours"

He lunged forward but Sam caught his arm,

"Jake no, let's go. Now."

I watched as Sam and Paul almost had to drag Jake away but I knew he'd be back, I also knew he wouldn't have the official backing of the pack so I could handle that. For now I wanted to see Bella and I needed her close so badly I was prepared to face Charlie if necessary.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter Thirty Two

Bella

A tap on the glass woke me from a doze and I straightened up quickly jarring my leg and cursing as pain shot through my calf up to my hip. I wiped the mist away to see Jasper looking in, he motioned for me to open the window but I shook my head trying to mime that it was locked. He caught on and motioned me to move away from the glass then with a sharp rap knocked the pane into the room. It broke tumbling on to the carpet but not loudly enough to wake Charlie, or at least I hoped not. Jasper was inside in a moment and took me in his arms then froze taking a deep breath and I knew he could smell blood. He picked me up and carried me to the bed, rain dripping off his hair onto his shoulders and running down his shirt.

"Why aren't you wearing a jacket? You're soaking wet"

He ignored my words instead kneeling so he could look at my leg, pulling the now drying towel away from my calf and starting it bleeding again as the congealing blood was pulled away from the wound. He stripped off his wet shirt and wrapped it around the wound then examined my face to make sure I was OK before pulling me onto his lap and holding me tight. I knew the questions would start soon enough but for now I was back in his arms and that was enough, I thought he was getting as much comfort from the embrace as I was.

Jasper

I had planned on telling Bella what had happened to Charlotte and that it wasn't safe to stay here any longer but once I'd broken the window and climbed inside her bedroom I smelled the blood and everything else went out of my head. My first instinct was to check out my mate, see where she was hurt, make sure she was going to be OK then find out who harmed her and kill them. The wound in her calf was deep and angry, still bleeding slightly and looked as if she'd been speared by some wooden implement. I held her close and the relief flooding from her eased my own concerns, she'd missed me as much as I had her. After a while I pulled back enough to stroke her cheek and speak to her,

"Bella what happened? How did you get hurt?"

"Its nothing really..."

I stopped her at that point with a finger to her lips.

"Don't tell me that Bella, don't try to tell me its nothing. It is something, you have a nasty wound in your leg and you are quite obviously shaken up. I can't see that as nothing, I want to kill the person who hurt you but its Charlie isn't it? And I guess that killing him is not an option?"

She shook her head before laying it back on my shoulder,

"Please Jasper. I'm so tired and sore, I can't discuss this right now. I just want to go away, take me away from here please."

I had no idea what to say to Bella after her plea, I wanted to take her away from here, keep her safe, with me but it was complicated. Despite everything she loved her parents and this would mean a permanent end to her relationship with everyone and I couldn't even offer her much of a family in exchange. There were Peter and Charlotte but that was it and while it was enough for me I wasn't sure if her feelings for me went as deep as mine for her, would she resent what she'd had to sacrifice to stay with me? Humans were a mystery to me in some ways, their thought processes, the way a lot of them could act towards each other, even those supposedly in love with each other. To have Bella was my hearts desire but to have her only to lose her again was a nightmare I would never wake from. I guess I was as scared for myself as for her. In all fairness I needed to lay it all out for her, the losses as well as the gains if she came with me. I also had to assure her that whatever she decided I would stay with her until I knew she was safe, from Alice and whoever was behind it all because I knew this was bigger than just Alice wanting revenge for a broken heart. Her heart hadn't been broken how could it? She didn't have one but somehow she had lied to me over the years and kept me from seeing Bella as my true mate for so long. I didn't want her to see me merely as a saviour, her musketeer, although I accepted she might see me as a symbol of hope and safety. I wanted to be the reality not just the fantasy. I think she must have read some of my thoughts in my tenseness, my conflict, because she got up slowly and sat down again opposite me looking very grave.

"You aren't going to take me away with you, are you? I guess I always knew deep down that it was all too good to be true but I don't blame you Jasper. You did all you could for me and acted like a southern gentleman the whole time. Whether that was because you felt it was the right thing or because it was all there was I may never know and I'm not sure I even want to..."

I started to speak but she shook her head violently, her eyes sparkling with anger,

"Don't. Just don't Jasper. I'm not angry with you but myself. I never seem to learn by my mistakes. Tell me one thing, am I safe now?"

"Bella you've..."

"just answer the question Jasper, please."

I could see the tension in her face, feel the mixture of sorrow, annoyance, and pure anger that vied for position.

"I don't think you are safe here or anywhere else as long as Alice lives but I will keep you from harm, I promise you that. You haven't given me..."

She interrupted me her hands clenched,

"Why do you keep doing that? Promising me? I don't want promises Jasper, just the truth, is that so hard to understand?"

"I have never lied to you Bella."

"No you haven't, you just didn't tell me the whole truth but that's as bad I think. You told me you had feelings for me, you told me you would keep me safe and they are truths but what about the things you didn't say? Or is it that I just assumed too much? Well either way it doesn't matter, at least I know where I stand and I thank you for that. Now I think you should go."

"Bella please let me speak"

"No, I'm done with talking Jasper, it doesn't get me anywhere because I don't speak the same language you do. It sounds the same, I recognise the words but they don't mean the same thing to you and I. That's probably my fault for expecting you and your kind to put the same emphasis on particular words. Now I'm very tired Jasper so please..."


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter Thirty Three

Bella

It was true, I was tired of word games, of expecting too much, of feeling too much. That had always been my problem, I felt too much, heard messages that weren't there in the words people spoke so it had been unfair of me to lay the blame at Jaspers door but I couldn't apologise now, I was just too weary to try explaining myself so I opened my bedroom door and went out shutting it behind me and ran into the bathroom locking that door behind me. Tears ran down my cheeks, but they were tears of embarrassment and anger at myself for being so stupid. What on earth made me think that Jaspers admission he had feelings for me meant he was in love with me. He liked me, maybe he was even fond of me but love? No. If he'd truly loved me he couldn't have considered leaving me here where I was so unhappy. His chivalry meant he would stay until he knew all danger had passed, after all he'd given me his word but that was it. In my subconscious I had known all this hence calling him my Musketeer, they were fiercely loyal and brave but they were warriors not husbands or partners. How could I have been so arrogant as to believe I could capture the heart of a real Musketeer? I stayed in here until I was so cold my teeth were almost chattering, damn the cold, and the rain, damn having no central heating in this old draughty house. I would have begged Renee to take me back but I knew I was wanted there about as much as I was wanted by anyone else. No, I was stuck with Charlie so I would make the best of it. Keep my head down, make my peace with my dad, finish school and leave, go away, maybe even Europe if I could save enough money. I had the money my grandparents had left in trust for me. Only a few more months and it would be my key to freedom. I could do that and I wouldn't think about the Cullens any more. Alice would have her wish I would be gone, out of their lives and she would realize she was wrong about me, I wasn't Jaspers mate at all.

Jasper

Bella didn't believe that I loved her, she had taken my hesitation at her plea as a rejection and the pain flooding into me had me gasping and holding the window seat to stop myself falling to my knees. I had to put this right now before I lost her for ever. I couldn't go to the bathroom to her, I could only wait until she came back to her bedroom and hope it wouldn't be too long or I wouldn't be able to stop myself and Charlie would discover I was in the house. My phone buzzed quietly and I answered speaking so low only another vampire would hear me,

"Peter?"

"What the fuck are you doing Major? I can feel trouble from here."

"She begged me to take her away Peter."

"So why the fuck aren't you here?"

"I didn't think she'd thought it through. If I take her away she will never see her parents again and I know despite everything she is close to them. Besides she'll always be on the run."

"Major, is she the one or not?"

"Of course she is."

"Then I'm assuming you'll be changing her at some time in the not too distant future which means unless I'm very fucking mistaken that she wont see her parents again in any case. I think all this mating crap had interfered with you thought processes. Get her out of there before she decides you don't care enough. Fuck me! Give you a horde of crazed newborns and you wouldn't turn a hair, the Volturi guard and there wouldn't be a single hesitation but confront you with a girl, a human girl, and BAM you're like a wet fart!

Peter was right of course, I didn't know what was wrong with me, I didn't seem to be able to think straight, all I knew was that I had to be close to Bella, to keep her safe, to make her love me as I did her but I had no idea how to accomplish the second. Bella was my responsibility, my mate, and I had to show her that. Besides how could I leave her here with Charlie who had already drawn blood? No, Bella was coming with me one way or another.

I sat on the floor by the window and waited as her feelings slowly faded until there was only one in her body, a profound sadness, resignation. I knew she thought I'd left and now she was coming back. The door opened slowly and she slipped back in not even looking in the direction of the window at first. Instead she sat on the edge of the bed still holding my wet shirt that had been wrapped round her leg. I could still smell blood and knew her wound was still bleeding a little but it didn't make me feel thirsty in fact it was like a hot knife in the guts, as if I'd been injured and I pulled her pain into myself protecting her from it. At first she didn't notice then she rubbed her calf and looked at her fingers which I knew would still be stained red with her blood. Slowly my presence registered and she looked over to where I sat, her eyes wide with shock.

"Jasper?"

Her voice was hoarse from crying,

"You're still here? Why?"

I stood up very slowly and walked over to crouch down taking her hands in mine, they felt icy and I saw she was shaking so I pulled the coverlet around her shoulders before speaking. This was the most important speech I would ever make and I wanted to be very careful.

"Bella, I know you asked me to go but I couldn't leave without speaking to you. There are several things I need to explain."

"Jasper you don't need to explain, I understand."

"No you don't, because I don't understand myself. A vampire recognises their mate the first time they meet, I didn't see it until recently but I know its true never the less. Somehow, in some way, Alice blinded me and one day I intend to find out how and why but its not important at the moment. What is important is that you are my mate and unless you kick me out of here right now I'm staying at your side until you tell me to go."

I knelt up and took her face between my hands and kissed her on the lips. It was like a huge flash went off deep inside me and when the kiss finished the warmth left behind filled my whole body,

"I love you Bella Swan."

Bella

I couldn't believe it when I felt the pain slowly disappear from my leg as if being drawn out by a strange force and then I knew, somehow I knew, he was still here, despite everything I'd said to him Jasper was still here waiting. I was so cold I was shaking and I hoped he didn't take it for fear because I didn't fear him. When he crouched down and started to speak I felt myself tense up only to relax as his words sunk in and when he wrapped me in the blanket then kissed me my heart stuttered before beating so fast I felt light-headed. His final words mus be a dream but if they were then I never wanted to wake up. I wanted him to kiss me again but he took his hands away and sat back on his heels.

"Its decision time Bella. I can't keep you safe here, not with the Quileutes around and Charlie. Will you come with me? Be mine and let me love you and care for you for all time?"


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter Thirty Four

Emmett

I loved Rose with every fibre of my being but I couldn't accept the way she and Alice had plotted against Bella, the girl hadn't done anything to either of them except walk into our lives and that was Edwards fault. She had tried very hard to be friendly and she certainly never said anything to put us in danger, she was like a little sister and treated as such by all of us. How could they turn on her so completely? Was I on Jaspers shit list too through no fault of my own? I had no idea how to put things right but I would sure as hell try. Firstly I needed to find Jazz and explain the situation to him, I would not lose my brother over this. I liked Bella and he knew it so I was sure he would understand the truth. I had tried finding him in Arizona but it was hopeless so I tried the only other place I could think of I might get a lead, Renee's. I'd been watching and listening for a clue and finally I overheard a phone conversation between her and Charlie, Bella was back in Forks. It was my best chance of finding Jazz so I flew back to Seattle and drove to Forks parking up at a distance from the Swan house and moved in on foot. I could smell wolf as I got close, so the pack were watching Bella too not that it would worry me too much unless there were a lot of wolves around and I only smelled the one. I checked out the area and recognised Jacob Black watching Bella's house

"Hey wolf boy."

The boy turned round, his face twisted with anger and distaste,

"So, he's called for reinforcements has he? Not quite so confident as he tried to make out after all."

"Hey no one called me in but if you're looking for a fight I'm more than happy to oblige."

I could take the wolf boy out, I was taller, bigger, and always ready for a fight, especially the way I felt at the moment.

Jake

I had been so wrapped up in watching for Jasper Hale that I hadn't heard the other leech coming until the last-minute but I turned to face him. Now I could be in trouble, I could phase and take him on but if Jasper heard I wasn't so sure I could take the two, not with one of them being a man mountain. I stood my ground as he baited me trying to find a weakness, to see how short a fuse I had,

"You watching in case Bella throws you a few crumbs? Must be a real bummer when the girl you like doesn't even notice you exist. I think she has better taste personally but who knows. So I guess you're just hanging around like a foul smell, oh yeah you are the foul smell, my mistake."

I could feel the anger welling up in me, my hands shaking but I kept control with difficulty.

"You touch Bella or attempt to run away with her and I'll tell Charlie all about you leeches."

"That should be an interesting conversation, how will you do that without breaking your own taboo on discussing the pack? I don't think you're going to say anything, not unless you want to put Charlie and Bella in serious danger. Think about it."

He was right of course. If I told Charlie about the vampires then I would have to tell him about the wolves, show him even, and that was forbidden. Even if I was thinking about breaking away from Sam the taboo still stood, it was laid down by the elders many years ago and I couldn't violate it without being cast out of the tribe, outlawed, and probably Billy with me.

Emmett

I could see Jake's mixture of emotions, he was angry, he wanted desperately to fight or argue but he could do neither, his hands were tied and the frustration was almost visible.

"Go home Jacob, back to the Res, the pack. You've lost and there's nothing you can do about it that won't put Bella in more danger than you think she's already in. You'll find your imprint one day but Bella isn't it and you know it, she maybe sees you as a brother, a friend even, but not a lover or life companion."

He spat at my feet,

"One day leech"

"I'll remember that, now go home before you start something I'll have no choice but to finish."

He turned his back on me and walked slowly away to be swallowed up by the encroaching gloom of the trees. One problem less for Jasper and Bella I hoped as I hunkered down to wait for one of them to appear and give me a clue as to what the hell was really going on.

Jasper

I had heard the exchange between Emmett and Jake but I shut it out, the only thing that mattered right now was Bella. I didn't perceive Emmett as an enemy not after the way he had spoken to Jake so I wouldn't worry. I waited for her to respond to my question, my future lay in her fragile hands whether she knew it or not. For a while she didn't say anything just sat in silence looking at me, still shaking a little but I didn't think it was fear or cold but I didn't speak or move I just waited. Then finally she looked into my face,

"I don't know what to say. I didn't expect you to still be here, let alone for you to say what you just did. Jasper I'm scared of so many things at the moment, the future, my dad, but most of all of you."

"Me? I won't hurt you Bella."

"Jasper I can't play games any more. My life has been turned upside down by the Cullen family until I don't know who to trust...except you and Peter, my two Musketeers. I'm grateful that you've been helping me but I have to know, am I a novelty? You said yourself you should have recognised me straight off and you didn't. Are you sure Alice didn't tell you that I was your mate just to play games with you?"

"I think she's playing with both of us but I don't think she's lying about us. I don't know what Alice's ultimate goal is but I do know she isn't working alone or for herself. None of that matters though, the only thing that matters is your answer to my question and I'm really hoping it's the right one."

She nodded and got up dragging a bag from under the bed, then turned to look at me,

"You going to help me pack?"

The relief flooding through me was immense as I nodded and pulled open the drawers in her chest silently and handed her the things which she threw into the bag until it was bulging and I zipped it shut as she pulled a few books and photos out and added them to another bag, a smaller one, then checked her closet and nodded.

"I need to leave Charlie a note or something."

I waited as she pulled out a fresh sheet of paper and started writing fast. When she'd finished she put the sheet of paper on her pillow, took a last look round then nodded,

"I'm ready."


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter Thirty Five

Jasper

I took the bags from Bella and went to the door opening it just enough for us to slip through. I knew Charlie was asleep and I made sure he stayed that way as I sent her in front of me but I had to warn Bella about my brother so I touched her shoulder,

"Emmett is outside waiting for us."

She stopped looking at me anxiously,

"Emmett? Why? Is he involved in all this?"

"No, I think Emmett was as upset as I was when you went missing, he is very fond of you. I heard him talking to Jacob outside and he was definitely on your side."

"Our side you mean. You think he's going to join us?"

"I hope so, the more we have to keep you safe the better and it means I can try to find what exactly is going on."

"How?"

"I'm damned if I know but need to find out where Alice is, she can tell me what's going on and she will, one way or another."

She nodded and carried on down the stairs unlocking the door and taking a final look round as if aware that she would in all likelihood never see this place again. I shut the door and locked it putting the keys in the mail box where Charlie would find them later in the day then took her arm and guided her across the to the trees where Emmett was. He stepped out into the moonlight and stood waiting for Bella's reaction to seeing him.

Emmett

I wasn't sure what kind of reception I would get from Bella or Jazz but I had to try and help them, make up for what Rose and Alice had done although I had no idea why they'd done it.

"Bella, I'm so glad to see you. When I saw the ballet studio in flames I was really scared you might be in there. I know Rose was involved in whatever Alice is up to and I'm truly sorry for that, I didn't know but that doesn't excuse me."

"Where is Rose?"

"I don't know, back at the Cullens I guess. I left when I found out what she'd done, I've been trying to find you ever since but I'm not much of a tracker. I finally went back to your mothers and waited hoping she'd hear something and man was I relieved when I heard you were back with your dad, at least I knew you were alive. I was kinda hoping you would let me help, you and Jazz. I know you have no reason to trust me but..."

Bella looked at Jazz then back to me and smiled just a little,

"Well I guess we have room for another Musketeer don't we D'Artagnan?"

I didn't have the faintest idea what she was talking about but it seemed she might be looking on me favourably. He nodded,

"I think there's still an opening for Porthos."

Bella

I trusted Emmett because Jasper did, I could feel it. Porthos, I tried to remember what I'd read about him,

A great fighter, a loyal friend and a man who lives life to the full. Yes that was Emmett. I took his hand in mine,

"Welcome to the musketeers Porthos. I'm sure Peter will explain when we meet up with him. We are meeting up with Peter aren't we?"

I looked anxiously at Jasper who smiled and nodded,

"He'll be pleased you were so anxious to join him again. I'm just glad we have Charlotte with us too or I might get jealous. Anyway standing here discussing our next move probably isn't the best of ideas. We needed to get out of here before Charlie misses you."

We turned to leave and found Jake standing at the edge of the trees and he wasn't alone, with him were Paul and Jared. Jasper stepped forward as Emmett moved to shield me from the Quileutes.

"Jake do you never give up?"

"I knew you'd try to sneak her out now you have some muscle."

Emmett guffawed at that,

"You know something Jake, I thought you had more sense. Jazz doesn't need me to take you I told you that."

Jake glared at him then peered around him, to me.

"Bella go back home before Charlie wakes up. This is crazy, you can't run off with the leeches. Think about what it means."

Jake

I knew they were up to something and ran back into the trees to phase so I could talk to Sam. He wasn't happy to hear where I was but he agreed to send Paul and Jared to join me but he laid down the rules too.

"Jake you can confront them but in human form. If Bella is with them then you can ask her what she wants to do. Point out what she will be giving up, what it means if she leaves with the vampires but that's it. If she still chooses to go with them then it's over. I wont start a war with them over Bella Swan, not if she goes willingly and I have to tell you that exactly what she's going to do., I know it and so do you. Its time you gave up on her, she doesn't love you Jake and its her life, her choices and don't give me any shit about not knowing what she's doing because she does, she's making an informed decision. If Bella decides she's going then you are to stand down and let her go. The others will do whatever is necessary if you decide to make a bigger fool of yourself."

I hated that he was probably right but at least he was giving me another chance and I couldn't ask for more.

"Bella go home."

She walked round to stand beside Emmett his broad arm preventing her getting any closer, he knew the situation was volatile and he wasn't taking any chances.

"Jake go away. I've made my choice and you have to accept that. I don't love you, I love Jasper and I'm going with him. Please don't fight because you wont win, even if you killed all the Cullens it wouldn't change my mind about you."

My shoulders slumped as Jared took my arm,

"Enough Jake. Bella has made her decision, let her go."

I wanted to grab her and run, scream at the moon, wake Charlie before it was too late but I knew she was right. I'd lost Bella before I even had her and starting a war with the vampires would mean the death of some of the pack for no reward.

"One day Bella you'll realize what you've done, to Charlie, Renee, me, and most of all yourself."

"Then that's my problem. Look after Charlie for me Jake."

Bella

I knew Jake thought he was doing the best for me but it was too late, Jasper had captured my heart and I would go wherever he lead. Jake stepped aside and the three of us walked past Emmett and Jazz both tense and ready for trouble but the wolves stood silent and unmoving as we disappeared from their view then Jasper took my hand,

"Bella thank you."

"For what?"

"All you said back there. Now let's get the hell out of here."

We piled into Emmett's truck and drove out of Forks towards the Olympic range where we would meet up with Peter and Charlotte and decide our next move. As Emmett drove he cast glances over at me as if wanting to speak but unsure of himself.

"What is it Emmett?"

"I was just wondering what you did to raise such strong emotions from everyone. Jake loves you, Jazz loves you, Edward was crazy about you, and Alice hates you. I don't think its got anything to do with Jazz though".

"It's not, Alice isn't working for herself we just need to find out who is behind it all."


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter Thirty Six

Alice

So Charlotte escaped which made things awkward but not impossible, I had fulfilled one part of my assignment, the Cullens were no longer a strong cohesive coven, Rose and Emmett were estranged, Jasper had left, I wasn't there any longer and once they found out it was Edward who told Charlie where to find Bella I foresaw an argument between Carlisle and Esme especially when I found a way of pointing out that Jasper had snatched Bella because he saw she was his mate and Edward knew this so he was coming between a mated couple, a big no no. I couldn't see the family ever forming as a group again, too much had happened and the trust was gone. Perhaps Carlisle would be approached with a position, who knew and more to the point who cared! The suspicion between all parties only served to help me, Jasper didn't trust anyone except Peter and now...yes Emmett, Emmett didn't trust me or Rose, talk about putting the cat among the pigeons I rather thought I'd outdone myself this time.

However there was still the problem of my dear Jasper, he was still on the loose and had his mate with him now, I guess I shouldn't have played with him as long as I did but it was such fun. The problem now was that he had Peter, Charlotte, and I suspected Darius with him and Bella now he recognised her for what she was wouldn't be vulnerable again. In fact she was becoming very unclear, fuzzy in my visions as if there were a translucent film creeping across her obscuring my sight. That I really didn't need, because follow her and you'd find the others. I didn't want to bring in anyone else but it looked like it might be necessary. I couldn't accomplish this by myself but failure was not an option, too much hung on my success. I looked at all the angles and with a sigh took out my cell phone, time for my next performance.

Bella

As we drove away I could see Jake standing in the road watching and I knew I'd hurt him dreadfully but I also knew I was doing the right thing by leaving with Jasper and Emmett. Whatever Alice was planning it would be better if I were away from Charlie, he was just too vulnerable.

"Where are we going Jasper?"

"We'll pick up Peter and Charlotte then I think we need to find somewhere Alice can't trace us, at least until we work out what it is she wants from me."

"Well she's done a fair bit of damage already if you think about it Jazz. Rose and I split up, you left the family, poor Carlisle and Esme only have Edward and her now and if Esme finds out Edward was implicated in taking Bella from you she's gonna go ballistic."

Jasper nodded,

"Yes but is that something Alice wanted or just a by-product of her scheme?"

I thought about this as we drove to rendezvous with the others,

"If it was planned, a part of whatever she's doing, then why? Who gains anything by splitting the Cullens up? Do the family have any enemies?"

Before I could get an answer I saw Peter up ahead standing in the road with a woman who must be his mate Charlotte. We stopped and they joined me in the back seat, Peter smiling and winking at me before turning to look at Emmett.

"So Cullen, you on our side or a spy for the twisted pixie?"

Jasper

I thought it best to shut Peter up for now, he hated all the Cullens on principle but Emmett could be trusted.

"Bella asked an interesting question just before we saw you."

"Really? Go on then, you were just waiting for my superior brain power so lets hear it."

"I wondered if Alice had planned on splitting the family up, the Cullens I mean, and if so who would benefit?"

"Well that's easy, they were the largest coven outside Italy and it made Aro Volturi very fucking nervous. So he'll be jumping up and down if he's heard the news."

"The Volturi? You think they are responsible for this?"

"Now Bella I didn't say that. I was just answering your question. Do I think Aro is responsible? No, not his style. He'd have had the guard come along and BAM, the Cullens are no more. He wants gift's so he'd spare Edward and Alice but there's no one who could take on Jane and Alec."

"Isn't Carlisle a friend of Aro's though?"

"Bella my little flower Aro doesn't have friends, he has people who are useful to him and those who amuser him for a while that's all."

"So if not the Volturi then who?

"The question is does Alice dance to someone else's tune or is this just for her own amusement? You could be looking for the elephant in the room."

"You mean there may not be anyone else involved?"

"No Bella I'm sure there is but if so then the phone call to Italy points to the Volturi, or an agent of theirs but not necessarily the brothers or all of them at any rate."

Jasper

As Emmett drove us towards the south without a particular goal in mind we were reasonably safe from Alice and I could think. Splitting the Cullens could just be a coincidence but who was the target? Me it would seem, luring me away from the others to find my mate, but a mate I didn't recognise straight off. There were at least two strands in this puzzle and they were obscuring each other. We needed to try unravelling them to understand exactly what was going on.

"Peter, when I explained what happened to you, you said it was down to Alice but we know there's more going on, or we suspect there is with Maria and Italian involvement. We can't see the wood for the trees, some of this is down to Alice personally and we need to discount her own agenda to see what's really going on."

"Sounds fucking complicated to me but go on".

"What do we think is down purely to Alice?"

"Right well, Bella's kidnap, James and his merry band, Charlotte's kidnap by Becky, Rose's split up with Emmett here. How am I doing?"

"I think you're on the right track, the games have been down to Alice, luring me using Bella, the ballet studio, all the theatricals, but if you strip those away what are we left with?"

Peter gazed out of the window for a few minutes deep in thought before a smile spread across his face,

"Two goals, destroy the Cullen family and you. That was what this whole thing was about and Alice had fun playing games as she accomplished it. She's working for someone who felt threatened by a large coven led by a charismatic leader, Carlisle and by you. Or someone with a grudge against you who was given the opportunity to get shot of you too. Fuck me, we are looking at the Volturi."

"Not the Volturi in the broad sense, just one of them."

"Who?"

Emmett looked baffled but I saw the answer dawn on Charlotte's face,

"Of course, that explains how Alice was able to use Nathan and the call to Italy but it doesn't explain why you didn't recognise Bella straight away."

"Only Alice can explain that one I think but at least we know our enemy now. Caius Volturi has finally decided to even the score."


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter Thirty Seven

Charlie

I knew as soon as I woke up that I'd missed something, the house felt cold and empty and my curtains were flapping wildly in the breeze from an open window. I got out of bed grabbing my gun just in case and moved silently to Bella's door which was ajar. The draught was coming from her room and I knew it hadn't been open when I left her, it couldn't be. I edged round the door but the room was empty, her curtains flapping wetly against the wall, the broken pane of glass littering the carpet which was also soaked. On the floor lay a damp blood stained towel, the one she wrapped round her leg from the bathroom, so she'd found something else to use I guessed. The window was smashed from the outside yet I hadn't heard a thing. How come? Even falling onto a carpet I should have heard it shatter. Looking round I could see that she had packed her stuff hurriedly, drawers were half-open and the closet door only partially closed. I checked but her clothes and precious things, I pod, books, teddy were all missing. She hadn't been abducted or forced out, she'd left of her own free will after collecting all the stuff that was important to her. Then I noticed the note on the pillow, a folded piece of paper with "Dad" scrawled across it hurriedly. I picked it up and opened the sheet out. There wasn't a lot of writing on it, but then she hadn't needed many words.

"Dad don't try to trace me. I've left for good. Be glad you're still alive after harming me and stay away. I'm fine. Bella."

It was a strange note but its meaning was clear, back off or else. Did she really mean that? It would appear so. I put my gun back in its holster, showered and went downstairs. the key to the front door was missing so that's how she had left, but had she taken it with her? If she had then maybe she intended coming back one day. I made myself coffee and grabbed some toast gazing out the window and wondering where she was right now. Who was she with? The two guys from the motel? They must be dangerous for the threat to mean anything. I wondered if Edward Cullen knew more than he had told me. Getting up I reached for the phone but it rang before I could pick it up so with a sigh I answered.

"Charlie its Eddy here, we've got a problem. A hiker missing and I'm a man down. Do you think you could come I know its awkward with your situation at home but I don't know who else to ring."

"I'll be there, give me half an hour."

"Thanks Chief."

I rang the Cullen house half expecting to find them gone too but Carlisle answered, sounding absent-minded,

"Chief Swan, what can I do for you?"

I was wondering if Edward was there."

"Edward? Ah yes he's in the garage with his sister I think. May I ask why you were asking?"

"Well do you know if he has any idea where Bella has gone this time or who she's with. The guys from before maybe?"

"Edward? Why do you think he might know? Well he told me last time and she's gone again, I just wondered if maybe he'd heard anything."

"No, none of us have heard from Bella since she came back but I'm sorry to hear she's run of again. If there is anything I can do? I'll certainly ask him and if he has heard anything at all I'll ring you back."

Thank you Dr Cullen but I guess there isn't a lot any of us can do. I have to go anyway, we've got a missing hiker to find. If you do hear anything I'd appreciate a call."

"We'll Let you know immediately but I don't think we will Chief, I'm sorry."

I wondered as I put the phone down, he sounded pretty sure about things. I might have to come to terms with never knowing where my daughter had gone, it was only a lucky fluke that Edward heard the guys talking before when she rang. I checked the mail box from habit and found the front door keys in there, so she wasn't planning on coming back after all. I would have to break the news to Renee soon, that was a task I didn't relish, I could hear her now.

Knowing once I got involved in a search I might be tied up for some time and knowing that Renee would be ringing to speak to our daughter I had no choice but to speak to her now but I did hope in a forlorn way that she might not be in. So of course she was and bright and cheerful as always.

"Aren't you proud of me Charlie, keeping my cell phone charged up. Hows Bella now? Has she calmed down? I thought we might fly up to see her in a few days, I'm sure she's desperate to see me."

"She's not here Renee."

"What? Well where is she? Did you upset her Charlie? I told you to be careful, treat her with some compassion."

"Hey, you weren't interested when I got her back, you couldn't spare the time to come up here and see her so stop trying to take the moral high ground Renee, it's not yours. She didn't want to be here, she left in the night with her friends and she's not coming back. I guess neither of us did such a good job with our daughter."

"You let her go? Why didn't you stop her?"

"It makes no difference now Renee, the fact is she has gone, Now if you'll excuse ,me I have to go to work."

"That's it? Your going to work with Bella missing?"

"What do you expect me to do Renee? She's almost an adult now, if and its a big if, I could find her again I can't force her to come home and to be honest I'm not sure she wouldn't be better away from us, you and me, We haven't proved much good as parents, either of us."

As Renee started to shout at me down the phone I put the receiver down and drove off to the Station to do my job, the one thing I was reasonable successful at.


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter Thirty Eight

Bella

I had no idea what they were talking about and Jasper could see this,

"I guess its time to tell you my story Bella."

"Well its daylight now and we are in company so go ahead."

Emmett looked puzzled but I just smiled at her recollection of my words and started,

"How I became a vampire isn't important at this point except to introduce you to my sire, Maria. She holds huge territories in Mexico and was looking for someone to lead them. I was a Major in the Confederate Army and she hoped I would be a good commander. She was right I was, I was also a very good fighter."

"The best"

I scowled at Peter but he shrugged,

"Hey its the truth. That why she kept you alive so long."

"Ignore him Bella. It's not something I was proud of but I was an excellent killing machine, humans, animals, vampires it didn't matter to me. I got my orders and I carried them out. I was also good at keeping her newborn army under control and training them. That's new vampires by the way. Newborns are formidable fighting machines but only for about a year then they lose their extra strength and Maria would have me destroy them and make new ones for her. We waged war all over Mexico and into Guatemala, we also raided Texas for new blood and its there I came into conflict with Caius Volturi. I had no idea at the time who he was of course, not that it would have made any difference. Maria had heard of a village close to the Mexican border that was rumoured to be the lair of a wolf pack, not like the Quileutes but werewolves and she wanted to see if they could be turned by our venom. If so they would be a great asset in her constant fight for new territory. I took a group of newborns and we raided the village looking for the wolves. We had captured a number of them in human form and wanted to get them back to our compound before the full moon. As we were about to leave a number of other vampires arrived led by Caius Volturi and ordered us to hand over our prisoners. I refused and there was a fight, I lost most of my newborns but escaped with the wolves in the confusion. He chased us over the border but ran into more of Maria's men who had come to meet us. They took the wolves back to Maria's while I and a few others stayed behind to delay Caius and his men. There was a fight and he lost his group and almost his life in the fight. Caius Volturi escaped the flames only because reinforcements arrived from his camp, but he was torn to pieces and as far as I l know he still has three odd fingers which replaced the ones I destroyed. He vowed to get even but decades passed and I left Maria and joined Alice, then the Cullens. I guess I should have known he would never forget what happened."

"What about the werewolves?"

"They lived for a while, Maria split them into two groups, one we changed before the full; moon but they stayed vampire and never change to wolves again. They were good fighters but almost uncontrollable in their savagery. The other group were bitten as they transformed and most died straight away. Two survived in wolf form and their bite was venomous but it killed, it didn't transform others and Maria in her disappointment ordered them killed. They were the last of the werewolves and Caius feeling he'd been cheated vowed that one day he would find and destroy me."

"So you have to kill him before he kills you?"

"No, it will be impossible to kill him, he has the entire Volturi guard behind him and his brothers Aro and Marcus."

"Then what do we do?"

"We find Alice Cullen and we kill her. Without her help his chances of trapping me are nil and he will go back into his shell until he gets another opportunity. Which he will eventually."

"I understand why he wants you now but why the Cullens?"

"Carlisle was quite influential in our world and the more who joined him, especially gifted vampires like Edward and Alice, the more threat they were to the Volturi and Caius will never give up his control over our world."

Thinking about this I was suddenly aware that I could lose Jasper having just found him, he could be snatched away from me at any moment and that upset me, it made me angry and I felt a sudden feeling as if something was building up in me. It felt as if I were getting ready to explode my body was so full.

"Stop Emmett".

He was startled by my cry but he slammed the brakes on and I scrambled over Jasper to get out before something terrible happened. The others followed me looking concerned and I understood they thought the story of Jasper's past had frightened me to such an extent that I was fleeing. This calmed me to a degree but I knew something was going to happen. I could feel it and I closed my eyes holding out my hands as they started to tingle then I heard a gasp and opened my eyes once more. I could still see the others but they were behind a shimmering curtain of gold hued air. I looked round at Jasper only to find him my side of the curtain.

"What's happening to me?"

I was scared and he came to me slowly and put his arms around me, pulling me close and kissing my cheek,

"Its OK Bella, I'm fine, you can let go now. Just relax, listen to my voice, feel my love".

I tried to breathe and his scent washed over me with a feeling of love and peace so strong it almost knocked me over and I saw the gold shimmer fade away slowly until it was gone.

Peter

I thought Bella had flipped out hearing The Majors story and we scrambled out of the car after her, unsure whether to approach or not. Then we saw it, a golden curtain drift between us and Bella, but The Major was inside it. I tried to move forward as Bella closed her eyes but I couldn't, it was as if there were a vast gulf between us that I couldn't cross. We heard his words and saw her hands fall slowly to her sides, the golden shimmer disappear until it was gone and I could move again.

"What the fuck was that all about?"

Charlotte looked at me and smiled,

"That Peter is the power of love."

"Isn't that a fucking song?"

"No idiot. Its Bella's gift revealing itself for the first time. She understood that The Major was in danger, threatened, and she protected him. If she'd been in the car when that happened I don't think any of us would be here now. She felt that and she got out of the confined space to prevent it".

"You mean she's a shield? Cool!"

"Not if it only protects them Emmett. What about us? We end up as chopped liver on the fucking floor."

My words registered with him but Charlotte smiled,

"I think with a little practise Bella will be able to control it And she may be able to protect us all."

"Well I just hope you're fucking right."


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter Thirty Nine

Carlisle

It had been days since I contacted my friend trying to find out what Alice was up to and if she was working for someone else. Bella had reappeared in Forks only to disappear again but this time she had left a note. Charlie rang here hoping I think that Edward might know something but of course he didn't. Charlie did tell us one thing though, Edward was the one who told him where to find Bella before and once he'd rung off I went to find my son. He was with Rose in the garage, she lived out here more or less all the time these days, unable to bear any of us around and missing Emmett badly but I didn't feel sorry for her, not after what she'd been a party to. I expected Esme to be a little kinder but even she had stayed away. Edward was the only one who she would speak to so I wasn't surprised to find them together,

"Edward I'd like a few words"

He turned looking strained, so he'd heard my thoughts, it saved me having to articulate them but I decided to anyway, it would make me feel better,

"Perhaps you'd like to explain to me just how you knew where Charlie could find his daughter."

Rose's head snapped up at this,

"You told Charlie?"

He nodded,

"Yes, It thought she should be home safe with him not running around the country with the Whitlocks."

"So you knew she was with Jasper?"

"Yes Carlisle I did."

"You also knew I assume that she is Jaspers mate?"

He hesitated before answering and we both knew what he would say,

"Alice did mention it but I didn't believe her. If they were mates why didn't he recognise her straight away?"

"I have no idea but its one of the many questions I shall have for my daughter if and when I find her."

I shook my head in a mixture of sorrow and anger,

"How could you Edward? How could you be party to splitting up mates? You know its one of our strictest laws yet you arranged for Charlie to take Bella from Jasper. She's back with him now by the way, Charlie rang to see if you knew anything about this second disappearance but I take it you don't?"

He stood head bowed, embarrassed,

"No".

"Where is Alice Edward?"

"I don't know, she never said."

"I see."

I turned to walk away

"Carlisle, I never meant any harm to her, Bella, not like Rose."

Rose hit him with the wrench she'd been holding as I whirled round angrily,

"And that makes it all right I suppose? Edward you disgust me."

I went back into the house where Esme waited to hear what he'd said,

"I'm not surprised Carlisle, Alice has manipulated everyone in this family to her own ends and now there's just us."

"What about Rose and Edward? They are still here after all"

"I want nothing to do with either of them. How could they even think we might forgive such actions? Did they learn nothing from us?"

She turned to walk up the stairs.

"Your cell phone was ringing by the way. I didn't answer it."

I went to my coat as Esme disappeared upstairs shoulders bent in anguish. The call had been the one I was waiting for and I checked for a message but she hadn't left one and the number just went to messages so I left a quick one then sat down to think while I waited for my friend to call back. One way or another I thought Jasper and Bella would need help and I didn't want them thinking that Esme and I had anything to do with Alice's schemes.

It wasn't long before Geena rang me back,

"Alice was booked on a flight to Austria but she cancelled at the last minute. She's still in Seattle, I found her hotel reservation, do you want it? I can't guarantee how much longer she'll be there."

"Thank you Geena."

"There are rumours circulating that the Cullen coven had fragmented Carlisle, is that right?"

"I'm afraid so and it's all down to Alice, she's exploited the weaknesses of us all."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Well if you need anything else just let me know."

"I will, thank you."

After I put the phone back in my pocket I thought about Geena's words and something clicked. Was this business with Bella just a way of breaking up my family? It had worked so well, there was no one left to trust except Esme now, all the others had been shown to be less than honest and truthful except perhaps Emmett and I thought it would be difficult to find a way of corrupting him.

"Esme, we have to go to Seattle and find Alice before she flies out."

I knew our chances were slim, she was sure to have seen me make this decision but I couldn't just sit here and do nothing. I wished I could contact Jasper and tell him what we'd discovered and what I assumed but I had no way, his cell phone was out of service.

Edward came out as we got in the car,

"You're going to find Alice aren't you? Can I come along?"

"Why Edward? Are you trying to help her some more? I'd rather you didn't, you stay here with Rose and figure out how you can redeem yourselves. That should take some brain power".

I drove off watched by Edward and Rose who had joined him in the driveway.

"Do you think they will find a way Carlisle?"

"I doubt it but I think they will try, I hope so anyway, I hate the thought of the two of them just forgetting about the damage they have done to all of us, only time will tell Esme and for now I have more important things to worry about."

On the drive to Seattle I went over everything that had happened and I wondered if I was right in my assumption that Caius Volturi was behind all this. He fit as the instigator because he not only hated the idea of my family, large and with its gifted individuals, seeing it as a threat but only because that was how he would use it. He should know me better, I only wanted a peaceful life with my children not a war with the Volturi.

Alice

So Carlisle and Esme were on their way to Seattle, he must have used his contacts to find me but he was going to be too late. I was already leaving the city for Portland where I had a flight booked, well several just to keep him guessing. I had to visit Fabienne and pay her, if only I hadn't pulled her off when I did life would be so much less complicated but I couldn't afford the time to wallow in self-pity, I still had a job to do, getting rid of Jasper which was now going to prove much more difficult as he picked up allies. If only I could get my hands on Bella, that was the one thing that would really affect him but I couldn't see them any more so I couldn't plan ahead as I wanted. What was her Achilles heel? Then I smiled,

Oh Alice you really are a clever girl. I grabbed my phone and dialled Victoria,

"Alice its just too dangerous, I told you I wouldn't go one on one with The Major and the wolves were sniffing around. I'm finished, I'm going to join Laurent, and stay as far from the Whitlocks as I can. I don't want to end up like James."

"I promise you no vampires at all, it's a very simple task, honest."

"What do you want me to do this time?"

"Bella's father in Forks."

"Yes Chief Swan I've seen him."

"I want you to kill him."

"That's it? Kill him, not change him?"

"No, just kill him, that will bring Bella back if nothing else does then you can fly to Phoenix and kill her mother, Renee Dwyer and her new husband too if he's around."

"You know something Alice Cullen you are one mean bitch".

"Thank you Victoria. Succeed and there will be another payment in your account."

I couldn't see the outcome because she hadn't decided what she was going to do but I'd see soon enough, For now I'd done all I could and I concentrated on getting to Portland as quickly as possible and out of here.


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter Forty

Jake

We had a red haired vampire in the area again and I wouldn't mind betting she was in some way related to what has been going on. I was watching her but I hadn't told the others yet, I wanted her for myself, I had a lot of pent up aggression just looking for an outlet and she would do nicely. It wasn't long before the pack was on to her though and Sam arranged for us to run perimeter checks to make sure she stayed off the Reservation.

"She must be looking for Bella or Jasper Whitlock and they're gone so she'll be gone soon. Just be careful if you come across her in the meantime".

I wasn't so sure but there was little I could do. As it was I turned out to be right but not in a way I wanted. I was on my way back to the cabin when I heard a noise and whirled to see Jared running towards me,

"She's attacked Charlie. He was out looking for a hiker who was reported missing and by the time we scented the danger she was already nearly on him, she broke his leg and crushed some ribs but she didn't have time to bite him."

"Why not?"

"Sam was in the area keeping an eye on Charlie, he thought she might be responsible for the missing hiker. He wasn't quick enough to stop the attack but he chased her off before she could bite him. We're all out looking for her so you'd better get back to Billy, he's the most vulnerable of us if she gets onto the Res."

"She won't, this is to get Bella back to Forks."

"How do you know that?"

"It's the only thing that makes sense Jared."

We heard a soft laugh and looked up to see her perched in the trees above us, she jumped trying to leap over us but Jared who was the most agile of us all met her mid-air and they crashed to the ground rolling over and over as I joined the fight. I caught her by one arm and pulled her away from Jared who staggered slightly dazed to his feet. She was strong and very fast but I held on determinedly twisted back and forth so she couldn't get a grip on me with her other hand then she pulled back viciously and I fell backwards with her hand in my mouth. The venom stung and I spat it out turning to see her launch herself at Jared, but as he started to spin another figure appeared hitting her with its shoulder knocking her over him into a bank at the side of the road. I flung myself onto her chest to sink my teeth into her throat and ripped a chunk of evil tasting flesh from it. Jared joined me and we finished the job only phasing back when she was laying in chunks on the ground her venom burning through the grass turning it brown. Sam, for that's who it had been, looked down on the dismembered body.

"Burn the pieces then come back to the Res Jared, Harry is at the hospital with Charlie. Jake find a Cullen and get a message to Bella if you can."

"Me? Hunt the Cullens to give them a message?"

"Jake, Bella should know what's happened. Go to the house, get a message to her."

I turned and ran out of Forks towards the Cullen house cursing under my breath.

Edward

I heard paws on the ground moving fast and shouted for Rose to join me, it was a single wolf but even so we crouched ready. Jake came to a halt and ignoring Rose phased back to human form pulling on his shorts.

"I need to get a message to Bella."

"Good luck with that, what do you expect us to do?"

"Find her and tell her that her father has been attacked by a female vampire, one who was here before I think."

Rose looked at me,

"Victoria? Is he dead?"

"No, he's badly injured but she didn't bite him either, we got there in time."

"We don't know where she is."

"Well find out, she's with one of your leeches".

He didn't wait for an answer but turned and ran off phasing back to wolf form as he did so and Rose turned to me,

"Now what do we do? They wouldn't believe us if we could get through to them."

"No but they might believe Carlisle. I'll let him know what's happened and hope he can think of something."

Carlisle

When my phone rang I thought it might be Geena with new information but it was Edward,

"Jake was just here. Victoria attacked Charlie and he's in a bad way".

"What about her? Did she bite him?"

"No they killed her before she could which means she wasn't planning on changing him but killing him."

"I agree. Now we have to find a way of letting Bella know."

"You know it's just a ploy to get her back to Forks".

"True, or a way to show her that whatever she does she can't protect her parents and neither can Jasper. Thank you Edward I'll see what I can do."

Esme looked at me,

"You think Alice gave the order to kill Charlie?"

"Yes I do, I think she'll do anything to get her hands on Jasper and Bella."

"So how are you going to contact Jasper? We don't have his number any longer or Peter's for that matter".

"No, it seems I'm going to have to do some grovelling,"

I rang a number I knew was going to be a hard sell,

"Whatever you're selling I'm not buying Carlisle."

"'I'm not selling anything. I need to contact Jasper its urgent,"

"Oh yeah I'll bet it is. What's wrong Alice giving you the run around?"

"We have nothing to do with Alice's actions and I need to get a message to Jasper or Bella. Her father has been attacked by a nomad called Victoria."

"And you think I can contact him for you."

"I know you can, after all he's a close friend."

"Is that right? Well if I am and you don't know how to contact him then I guess he doesn't want to talk to you. Besides I thought it was all over with the Cullens."

"Please just pass the message on and you might want to tell him that Alice was in Seattle up to a few hours ago."

"And how would you know that Carlisle?"

"I do have my own contacts."

"Then use them to contact The Major Cullen."

He cut me off but I thought he would probably pass the information on in any case at least I hoped so. In the meantime I continued on to Seattle but of course Alice was gone when we reached the hotel. She had checked out a couple of hours before we got there, her vision had warned her but where would she go? Geena had said she had a flight to Austria booked so presumably she would still head there eventually. I decided to fly out and see if I could locate her when she landed.

"I'm coming with you. We owe it to Bella and Jasper to find out who is behind all this because we both know there's someone else involved, it's not all just Alice."

"Lets just hope Jasper gets the messages. Maybe he can find her before we do, I hope not but it's no more than she deserves really."

"Carlisle I don't know what you intend doing when and if you find her before they do but I'm not sure I'll be able to stop myself from killing her after all she's done."

Esme shocked me but I could see she was deadly serious.


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter Forty One

Alice

I saw Carlisle's decision and I needed to beat him to Austria so I drove straight to the airport and checked the next couple of flights to Vienna. The next after mine was the following day so I would have plenty of time to see Fabienne and take a flight on to Italy, hopefully with good news but then I saw Charlie was going to survive and with Victoria dead I was running out of allies. There was no alternative, I had to use Maria again although she would ask some fee this time. I rang and waited and sure enough she sounded smug,

"Alice Cullen. So you need my help again and you think I'm going to hand over another of my commanders so you can make him disappear too? I don't think so, try someone else to do your dirty work."

"Maria, I will call Caius if I have to but I'd rather not. I don't need a commander just a few of your newborns with someone to guide them."

"To do what?"

"There are a couple in Florida that need to be eliminated, it's not a difficult job, they are both humans and neither of them have the faintest idea they are in any danger".

She hesitated and I knew she wanted to refuse but she couldn't,

"Very well but if I decide then we change them, I could always do with more recruits."

"I don't think you want to do that Maria. Not unless you want to bring The Majors wrath down on you. Just kill them."

"These humans, how are they related to The Major?"

"They're his mates mother and her husband."

"Really? Why didn't you say so, it will be a pleasure but I shall still want my fee."

"Of course but it needs doing very quickly."

Charlie

I woke up in the hospital in pain and very confused, I remembered seeing a red-haired woman coming towards me but she was moving much too fast and then it was as if I'd hit a concrete wall. Breathing was painful and the hiss of the oxygen and beep of the monitors was all I could hear. There was no one with me and I remembered Bella had gone again and this time for good. I had driven her away with my behaviour when I got her back. I remembered reading the note she'd left on her pillow. I wished I'd handled the whole situation better, it wasn't as if I didn't know the right way to deal with a run away. Hell, I'd dealt with my fair share of them but it was always different when it was your own.

I had been terrified for her and angry that I'd made a complete mess of looking after her so what did I do? Talk it over rationally and find a way through? Hell no, I lost my temper and ended up hurting my baby girl. I could hardly be surprised that she'd run away again. I understood that I had little chance of tracing her again, finding her last time had been sheer luck on Edward Cullen's part. I still had no idea who she was with but again there was little I could do and thinking just made me feel sick and dizzy and I drifted off to sleep once more.

Renee

I was upset when I heard that Charlie had been attacked and was in hospital with serious injuries but I couldn't fly up to see him, Phil would have been very upset and besides he was nothing to me any longer. When I found out that Bella was missing again I did wonder of it had been her friends who had attacked Charlie but there was no use making wild accusations, she was old enough to make her own decisions and if she was happy to run off with these strangers again then let her. My Bella disappeared when she moved to Forks, that place was poison to me, it destroyed everything I thought I had. So I thanked Harry for telling me the news and put the phone down, I had to get ready for dinner, Phil was taking me to an expensive restaurant as a treat and I wouldn't spoil it for him. I was almost ready when the doorbell went, now who the hell would that be? It couldn't be Bella surely? She was hardly likely to turn up here after the note she left her father besides her chances of getting here so quickly were almost nil. The door bell went again but I ignored it instead putting the finishing touches to my make up as the phone started to ring, It was like Grand Central here today! I picked up the receiver,

" Dwyer residence"

No one answered, there was just the crackle of static and what sounded like heavy breathing, great an obscene phone call. That was all I needed right now. I slammed the receiver back down and went downstairs to wait for Phil who was picking me up after his meeting with the scout for a big team in Florida. Perhaps we would be having a double celebration, a new job and a new start.

Maria

This time I was going to supervise the operation in person, that way there would be no foul ups. I knew the woman was in the house although she wasn't answering the door them the phone rang and this time she picked up although no one spoke to her. My newborn stood breathing into the receiver then at a gesture from me he disconnected. Well the man wasn't here but the important person, the girl Bella's mother, was so I decided to go ahead without him. If he turned up we would take him out too but for now...I made another gesture and two of my men went round the back to ensure she couldn't try getting away then I banged hard enough on the door to split the wood. I heard her curse and open the door as far as the security chain would allow.

"What's going on? Who are you? What do you want?"

"Mrs Dwyer? Bella's mother?"

"Yes why what's happened? She hasn't been attacked too has she?"

"No, but you are about to be."

"What?"

I didn't let her say any more I just kicked the door inwards breaking the chain and hitting her in the face and flinging her backwards to slam into the bottom of the stairs with a cry of pain. The smell of blood from her split lip and scalp wound were enough and my newborns finished the job draining her before setting fire to the house. As we got back into the minibus another car pulled up and a man got out hurriedly running up the steps to the front door. I looked round but there was no one else in sight so I gave the word and he joined his wife in the conflagration after being drained also. Job done we drove back towards the border and home. I thought my employer would be happy enough with the outcome and my newborns had acted perfectly so I was very happy with the days work.


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter Forty One

Jasper

We kept on the move so Alice couldn't get a fix on us while we decided what to do,

"If its Caius then the only thing we can do is to travel to Italy ourselves and take him out."

"Take out one of the brothers Em? You got a fucking death wish?"

"As long as he lives he'll be a danger to Jasper and Bella what else can we do?"

"Firstly we find Alice Cullen and beat the shit out of her, get everything from her then torch the bitch."

"I could go along with that. But..."

Emmett never finished his sentence because my phone started buzzing and I answered it seeing Darius number come up,

"Major I hate being the bearer of bad news but I just heard a news flash from Florida, Bella's mother Renee Dwyer and her husband are dead. There was a fire but a group of people were seen at the house shortly before by a bus driver on his route, one of the people was a young Mexican woman with dark hair."

"Maria? And her newborns?"

So Alice had declared war on Bella's family using Maria to do her dirty work again.

"There's more. I had a phone call from Carlisle Cullen trying to get a message to you. I wasn't going to worry you with it until I heard about the fire. Bella's dad was attacked by Victoria. He's alive but badly injured, the wolves saved him apparently. He also said Alice was in Seattle a little while ago but had a ticket for Vienna so I thought you might want to be there to greet her. There's a plane waiting for you at Klamath Falls, I think that's closest to you. Its fuelled and ready so you should beat the bitch. Do you want me to say anything to Carlisle?"

"No. Not for now but thanks Darius."

I knew Bella had heard the conversation in this confined space how could she not? And I saw the tears fall,

"Renee and Phil both dead?"

"I'm afraid so Bella but the Quileutes saved Charlie and I'm sure they'll watch out for him, they've already killed Victoria."

"What about Laurent and Maria?"

"Laurent is a pussy, he won't do anything that puts him in danger and Maria won't stray that far from home. No, its my guess that was Alice's last throw of the dice to draw you out. Now she'll be running straight to Caius for protection the fucking bitch."

Bella

Jasper agreed with Peters summation and Emmett turned the truck round to drive to the airport.

"What will you do if you get there before Alice?"

"Set a little trap for he to wander into."

"And if we don't?"

"Then we hunt the bitch down, find out why she's there, what she's doing, and then torch her pretty little ass. Either way we're in for a sightseeing trip of Italy I guess."

"But you said you couldn't fight the Volturi."

"I'm not sure well have to, if Caius is working alone then he might want to come to some arrangement, or alternatively we'll be relying on you and your Mojo Bella."

"I don't know that I can protect you all"

"Then get practising because otherwise we are all crispy critters and that would really fucking annoy me after all we've been through."

Emmett looked round and for the first time I saw the vampire in him.

"We will get Alice and anyone else responsible for killing Renee Bella, that's a promise."

I smiled at him wiping away the tears as Jasper held me tightly,

"Thanks Porthos."

When we got to the airport Emmett parked the truck while Peter and Charlotte went to check on the plane Darius said was waiting for us. Jasper and I went into the restaurant so I could get something to eat, we'd been travelling a long time and I was weary, eating was an effort but I knew I needed my strength, especially if Peter was right and I was going to have to shield them all which was a daunting thought.

"Bella don't worry. Everything will be fine and you will be able to extend that shield of yours, I've never seen anything as powerful in a human, you love us all and that will be enough."

"I love you."

He smiled and stroked my cheek,

"I know and thank you for that. I'm just sorry you had to get caught up in all this. It's really nothing to do with you, Alice and Caius want me not you."

"Maria too?"

"Yes, Maria especially. She hates that I escaped from her and she'd like me back but I'm not the same man any more. I don't want to fight to survive, not any longer. I just want a chance of a life with you."

I leaned my head on his shoulder and we sat waiting for the others to appear which they did soon after and Darius rang again,

"Just a couple of things before you fly out, Carlisle is flying to Vienna too and he's slightly ahead of you, he chartered his own jet. I thought Bella might like an update on her father. I hacked in to the hospital records and he's gonna be OK. He might never be as mobile but he'll live."

"Thanks Darius I owe you."

"Just get Alice that will be payment enough. Oh yeah I had a strange call from another friend of mine. She specialises in gifts a little like Eleazer except she doesn't have to be in close proximity. She can tell when gifts work and when they are blocked, its come in useful a few times for me but anyway I digress. She tells me that Alice isn't able to see you or Bella or any of your merry little party any more. Bella's gift has finally kicked right in and its blocking her so you have the advantage of surprise."

"And just how come your friend was watching Bella? Or Alice for that matter."

"Hey I don't do a half cocked job. You ask me for help you get it all, so stop fucking complaining."

I heard Peter chuckle as he and Charlotte appeared just in time to hear Darius last words,

"You know I thought there was a reason I liked that guy and now I know what it is, he reminds me of me, very useful; articulate, and good-looking."

Charlotte burst out laughing and he looked at her caustically,

"See Bella very few people notice my many attributes, what was it you said about Athos? Oh yeah I could appear arrogant but it hides an intense loyalty and a deep capacity for friendship. See Char, someone appreciates my finer points so stop fucking giggling and get your butt out to the plane. By the way who is Emmett Bella?"

He struck a strong man pose and smiled,

"Porthos at your service sir,"

Peter turned to me,

"And what does it say about him?"

"If I remember correctly he is a great fighter, a loyal friend, and a man who lives life to the full."

"A great fighter eh? Well we'll see about that soon enough but there's nothing about him being handsome?"

I laughed,

"No Athos you still have that distinction."

"That's OK then, now stop nattering and get on the fucking plane or we'll never catch up with the scheming black-hearted bitch."


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter Forty Three

Alice

Frustration was setting in, Maria had killed Bella's mum and her husband but although Charlie had survived badly hurt but still breathing she hadn't turned up in Forks and now my dear parents were on my trail although as I could see them coming it was a pretty futile gesture. What bothered me most of all was that I'd lost sight not only of Bella but everyone who was with her which meant I had no idea how many they were but at a guess it was at least the other two Whitlocks still hanging on and probably Emmett. They could call on others and might well do if they decided to take Maria on but I didn't think they'd get many takers if it came to Caius, he was probably a step too far for most in our world. When my plane landed in Vienna Fabienne was waiting for me with transport.

"I hope this is OK I couldn't get a high performance sports car for you."

I looked at the Audi,

"It will do thank you. Here"

I handed her an envelope and she checked the contents,

"Don't you trust me Fabienne?"

"I find it pays to trust no one these days Alice. Glad to have been of service and if you ever need a hand again..."

I nodded, she had been very useful and I didn't want her to think me ungrateful,

"I know where to come. Sorry but I have an appointment I mustn't be late for. Thank you again Fabienne."

If I hadn't thought she could be useful in the future I would have killed her too but with such a gift she was very valuable, I may even tell Caius about her so he could bring her into his own private guard, if he could ensure Aro never found out but that in itself was a massive task. I had avoided him so far but I knew one day we would meet and then my usefulness to Caius would be over but then Aro would collect me for the official guard so the cloud really did have a silver lining.

Bella

I'd never flown in a private jet before and it was luxurious but the others didn't even seem to notice, Peter and Emmett started a game of cards while Charlotte picked up the magazines she'd bought at the airport. Jasper sat with me and I knew we should talk.

"I'm very sorry about your mother Bella, I feel responsible for what happened there."

"Then don't, you aren't. Alice is and I intend to make sure she pays for it and for Charlie's injuries. Do you think we'll catch Alice before she gets to Caius?"

"Alice isn't headed straight for Volterra yet, her job isn't over."

"But she must know she can't kill you now. There is no way to get you out in the open and anyway she couldn't beat you in a fight."

"True but that doesn't mean she's given up Bella. Alice hates to lose..."

He stopped as there was a roar of disapproval from Emmett,

"As does Emmett."

"But what's left to her? Is there anyone who could take on my three Musketeers and win?"

"Yes, the Volturi guard or at least they would have been able to and I think its them Alice is trying to get her hands on but it will be difficult without tipping Caius hand to Aro. That would be a real problem for him, Aro wouldn't like a brother going behind his back, especially when it comes to me. Aro and I had an understanding that Caius didn't know about, I wouldn't attempt anything if he left me alone and told Maria to back off."

"But Maria worked for Alice and Caius."

"Yes she did but either she thought it was Aro and he'd changed his mind or she thought Alice had a really goods chance of pulling it off. Either way she's mine after we get Alice. For now perhaps we should concentrate on us."

"Us?"

"Yes I assume there is an us. What are we going to do Bella, when this is all over?"

"Well I kind of thought we'd find somewhere to make a fresh start, just you and me."

He smiled at my reply but of course the others heard too.

"Well that's just fucking dandy isn't it! We risk our hides to keep the fair maiden from getting her ass whipped and what do we get as thanks Porthos? Fuck all, Oh D'Artagnan will be getting his end away but the rest of us get a thanks for everything now fuck off. I tell you its hard work being a Musketeer. I'm not sure I want the job any more. Sod it stop this plane, I'm getting off. You coming?"

Emmett looked at me ruefully,

"Would the lady like to rethink her last statement before Athos decides to jump without a parachute."

I wasn't entirely sure Peter was joking about the jump because Jasper stiffened but Peter turned round.

"Yeah, you want to try that statement again Bella?"

Jasper

When Peter was in this kind of mood he could act without thinking and although opening the door at this altitude wouldn't harm us it would kill Bella and probably the pilot. He wasn't used to thinking about fragile humans. I took a good hold of Bella while Charlotte moved close to her mate but Bella seemed to understand that Peter wasn't entirely joking because she bowed her head,

"I apologise brave Musketeer, I wasn't thinking clearly. Of course I will need all my protection around me. Can you forgive me?"

Peter stood thinking about this then smiled broadly,

"Certainly my lady. I should have realized that in your concern you weren't thinking clearly and we would be proud and happy to accompany you wherever you decide to go."

He went back to the table and Emmett dealt the cards once more and I relaxed,

"Don't worry Jasper, I think I'm getting the hang of handling Peter."

"Few people do but he's generally more thoughtful, excuse me just for a moment."

I got up and walked over to the table squatting down at Peters side and taking his arm in a tight grip,

"If you ever pull a stunt like that again and threaten to put Bella's life at risk I will personally separate your head from your body. Do you understand me Captain Whitlock?"

He swallowed as he realized what he'd done then nodded his head,

"Sorry Major, I didn't think but I wouldn't have hurt her."

"Well in future engage your brain before you open your mouth OK"?

"OK"

He looked over to Bella apologising to her too and she smiled her acceptance.

Bella

I really believe Jasper meant his warning, I had my very own bodyguard who took his job very seriously. He came back to sit beside me,

"So you want to set up home with me? Are you sure? Bella I know you understand the situation but I feel I have to underline it for you. If you and I are going to be together as a partnership then you will have to think about becoming a vampire too. You don't have to, I would never force it on you but I don't think I could live if anything happened to you. I want you at my side for eternity."

"Then we should seriously consider changing me as soon as this is over. I'd like you to do it now but I understand I wouldn't be much help in the present circumstances. Do you really think I can protect us all? I really want to help,"

"Yes I'm sure you can, it was very powerful when you saw I was in danger."

He pulled me close and kissed the top of my head breathing deeply,

"Does that do something for you? The smell of my blood?"

He sighed,

"Your scent is the one thing that can give me some peace. When we're close and your scent surrounds me I don't feel the barrage of emotions from everyone around me. It's a wonderful feeling".

I rested my head on his shoulder and held his hand tightly,

"I wish we had time to just spend together without having to think about anyone else."

"We will have the time Bella, once this is over I'll take you away somewhere peaceful and solitary where we can just be ourselves. I love you Bella and I want to show you all the wonders of my world."


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter Forty Four

Carlisle

Esme and I checked with Geena when we landed only to find out that Alice had beaten us and we had no idea who her friend was or where this friend lived. It was unlikely she would fly any further because airports were dangerous bottlenecks for someone on the run and Alice was running now. Edward had rung to find out if we had any news but Esme just deleted the message.

"Don't you think we could just let him know what's happening?"

"No, he forfeit his right to any information when I found out he was in contact with Alice. She has enough foreknowledge as it is and I for one have no intention of making it any easier."

Esme's voice was harsh and bitter and I knew that what she saw as Edwards treachery had cut the bond between them. I wished I could feel the same but he was still my first-born and I could never turn my back on him totally but I thought now might not be the time to explain this to my mate".

"So where now Esme?"

"Volterra of course. We need to find out who is pulling her strings and stop them."

"I think stopping them might be harder than you think."

"Well we have to try Carlisle. Aro is your friend, use that friendship if you can, he has used you often enough over the years, he owes you."

Alice

After leaving Fabienne I drove straight for Italy, Carlisle and Esme weren't far behind me and I had no idea where the others, the bigger danger, were but I bet it was closer than I wanted. As I drove I rang Caius and explained the situation.

"Then you failed Alice. That's not acceptable, I told you that. I will send you the guard members I can trust but you set up the ambush."

"With what?"

"Yourself as bait Alice. Don't come here unless you can tell me its a success."

"But if Jasper finds me I'm dead."

"If you come here without his ashes then you'll meet the same fate at my hands. You promised me you could do the job, now prove it wasn't a lie."

I was furious, I hated the thought of using myself as bait but I also knew he meant his threat. I should have succeeded, I saw myself standing over his dead body months ago but everything that could go wrong had done so and now I was left with no choice in the matter. If only I could see what they were doing, how many they were. Still I wasn't beaten yet and when I got to the rendezvous I found to my relief that Caius had sent Alec and Felix, so a fighter and the ace in the hole. Suddenly I felt so much more confident and I explained my plan to them. Alec listened with studied indifference, none of it mattered to him, his gift meant he never had to plan or fight, he could disable any one with a mere thought. I hoped that Carlisle and Esme wouldn't catch up with me or join forces with Jasper but if they did then they too would go down, in fact that would please Caius even more, it would be an unexpected bonus for him. At the moment I could still see them and they were headed towards Volterra so they hadn't joined up with the Whitlocks. I thought it best to warn him that they were on their way, he could deal with them I was sure, besides I had enough going on as it was. I didn't have time to check on the future of the two remaining Cullens on Italian soil.

Caius

Things were beginning to unravel and I needed some damage limitation choices. I had worked alone on this project for the simple reason I knew that my brothers would not agree to such actions. They both thought my fears of the Cullens getting too powerful were crazy but I'd seen what power could do, one only had to look at Aro, he was a prime example of power corrupting. My hatred for the Major was not much more understandable either. I wanted the Children of the Moon destroyed and had overseen every single death. Making sure not one was missed but then Maria in her usual high-handed way decided to experiment on them and refused to hand them over. I fought The Major and in my arrogance I believed I could beat him but I was wrong, he was stronger, faster, and more cunning, I had allowed myself to become lazy over the centuries while he had been kept in excellent fighting form by his sire. I would have liked him for the guard but he was Maria's creature and nothing would lure him from her side, not when I need it to in any case. My defeat at his hands was a sobering one and the three odd fingers on my left hand were a constant reminder of that defeat. I vowed that one day I would get my revenge and replace these with his, he really would be my creature then, I smiled at the thought, The Major dead and burned but his fingers doing my bidding, it was perfect. I sent Felix and Alec because between them they should be more than capable of capturing and killing The Major and anyone else he had with him. If I were really lucky he might be accompanied by his Captain, Peter Whitlock, and his mate. They would be a bonus because if not and they found out I had been ultimately responsible for The Major's death they might just be crazy enough to try avenging him and cause more problems later. For now all I could do was wait to hear.

Carlisle

Although we travelled fast I had the feeling we were going to be far too late to be of any help to Jasper and his friends, Esme looked over at me and took out her phone,

"Pull over, we'll never make it in time. We should have gone straight to Italy, why on earth you decided we should go to Vienna first is beyond me or were you trying to give Alice some time to get away? Either way you'll have to ring Aro and warn him, maybe he can act more swiftly."

"He may not even believe me Esme. Or he may be involved in Alice's scheme."

She shook her head,

"You talked to me many tines over the years about Aro Volturi and even I know that he would be afraid to call you a liar. He hasn't got to the position he holds by ignoring warnings, he'll act because he can't afford not to."

"You think he'll act against his brother? It's not that simple."

"Yes it is Carlisle, its extremely simple. He can choose to ignore you and find himself no longer in control of things or he can act, if he's wrong then it doesn't really matter except to underline the fact he has a great spy network and nothing gets past him or he's right and he's foiled an attempt by another to act in isolation."

When she put it like that I thought she had a point, Esme was a much deeper thinker than I had ever given her credit for. I dialled Aro's number trying to decide the best way to approach the subject when he answered.


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter Forty Six

Aro

So Carlisle Cullen was ringing me, did that mean he wanted something? It had been years since I had spoken to him last but I still missed the intellectual conversations we had when he lived here in Volterra with us. It was a pity he hadn't been able to see beyond his wish for a different way of life. I hadn't expected him to stick to a diet of animal blood for so long, it showed just how determined he could be and a good teacher for the others he collected in his coven. I knew Caius was unhappy at the thought of such a large and gifted coven existing in isolation away from Volterra and our administration but I knew Carlisle, he was no threat, Carlisle never wanted power or glory just peace and to be left to his own devices helping the humans around him. Carlisle was a fascinating if strange member of our world.

"Carlisle so good to hear from you, nothing wrong I hope?"

"I'm afraid there might be Aro."

"Really? With your...family?"

"I think that it's a possibility someone in Volterra is working with my daughter Alice. They have already caused devastation for my family and now it seems they want to kill Jasper Hale and his friends."

"Isn't... Jasper Hale...Alice's mate? And who would be trying to kill him? Lets be fair Carlisle even I will admit that he would be a formidable enemy. We have all heard of the The Major. I always thought he was a dangerous addition to your family, he hardly has the same background after all. Rather like expecting the lion to lay down with the lamb."

"He has changed Aro, so has Alice. They are no longer together and Alice is working to his destruction but I believe her paymaster is someone in Volterra."

"A serious charge Carlisle do you have any proof?"

"No, not as such, but I think you'll find Jasper and his friends headed for Italy so I think it's a safe bet that he thinks his danger comes from the Volturi. Do you have any idea who might be responsible? Perhaps you could do a little detective work. After all I doubt you want trouble with Jasper Hale."

"I agree it would be less than ideal to have an unhappy group of fighters knocking on our door but I don't see what led you to imagine the problem stems from the Volturi my friend."

"I thought about the outcome of Alice's actions, the destruction of my family and the death of Jasper Hale using his mate to lure him into a dangerous situation."

"The Majors mate? I thought you said he and Alice Cullen were no longer together?"

"That's true but he had found his true mate, she is with him now."

"Then one must assume she is safe. His problem is solved and while I am sorry to hear about your family I hardly think you can lay that at our door my friend. I remember warning you many years ago that what you were attempting was doomed to failure. It is not in our nature to live in such close proximity with each other in large groups. Even the Volturi sometimes had problems with this and living only on animal blood cannot have helped the situation, after all you all have a constant thirst that only human blood can relieve completely."

"This has nothing to do with our lifestyle Aro. It has to do with Alice and whoever is manipulating her."

"Am I right in assuming that you believe one of my brothers is behind Alice's machinations?"

"Yes. It would be my guess that Caius is the one pulling the strings and I don't need to spell out why to you I'm sure."

"I do hope you aren't expecting me to accuse my brother of acting without our knowledge and agreement."

"I leave that to you Aro, after all you are the statesman not I."

"Well thank you for that recognition Carlisle. I will certainly give your words some thought. Thank you for ringing."

I called Marcus to me after considering Carlisle's words for a few minutes, Caius had been rather elusive of late and I was beginning to think he was doing something he thought I might not approve of wholeheartedly. If it resulted in The Majors arrival on our doorstep all guns blazing then he was right. It was foolish to invite danger to visit and trying to take down The Major through his mate certainly fell within that category. I explained Carlisle's call to Marcus and waited to hear what he made of it, without of course giving him my own conclusions. As always he took his time dissecting every word before willing to declare himself ready to speak.

"So Carlisle's family has fallen apart. It is a pity but no more than we expected and foresaw. I really thought he was doing rather well, especially after taking the cuckoo into the nest."

"Cuckoo? Don't you mean raptor Marcus?"

"Yet the trouble hasn't come from your raptor but the fluffy little wren. I always thought there was more to Alice Cullen than we were allowed to see. I think Carlisle is right about Alice not working in isolation. I think she might have felt aggrieved about her ex lover but I doubt she would feel the necessity to break the Cullens apart, no, there is someone behind the whole thing, someone working in the shadows and I rather fear that Carlisle's suspicions are correct. We both knew that he was determined to take The Major down and using Alice Cullen was a master stroke."

"Hardly since according to Carlisle he is on his way here with his friends. I think Caius over estimated Alice's powers. He doesn't understand her mind set Marcus. Alice makes everything a game, she sees us all as pawns to be moved about her game board for her entertainment"

"From what you've told me she could have had the job done quickly and completely if she hadn't tried to play so much. You think we should talk to Caius? If we can find him that is."

"Oh I think we can find out where he is soon enough. I have someone keeping an eye on him."

"So you suspected he was up to something already Aro?"

"I always suspect him of doing something we would disapprove of, Caius always feels his way is the best way and everything he feels is right. If he thinks we will offer any resistance he by passes us, as I know you were aware. After all it wasn't that long ago that he had the last of the humans working in the citadel killed in an "accident" by a visiting vampire. Poor Luke, he was a scapegoat nothing more."

"Yes killed to hide Caius murder of the human he had been seducing. Why he didn't just send her off with some money or kill her himself I have no idea."

"I would have thought it was obvious Marcus, she was pregnant and he wanted no hybrid children here, he hates all the half breeds as he calls them."

"Then he'd do better to find himself another mistress in our world. I'm amazed Athenadora doesn't put a stop to his actions."

"How can she when Corin keeps her content. You above all others knows how impossible it is to fight the gifts of the guard."

His eyes narrowed at my oblique reference to his own mental imprisonment but there was little he could do about it and it paid now and again to remind him who was in charge.

"Then lets speak to our dear brother".

I called Demetri in and sent him to invite Caius to join us.


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter Forty Six

Caius

I should have known that sooner or later word would reach my brothers ears of what I had been doing but I had hoped I would be able to tell them everything was over. Unfortunately Alice had let me down with her stupid games. She had plenty of opportunities to get the job done but no, she wanted to play with her chess pieces before consigning them to the flames and now I had been forced to send her some Volturi guards to get the job finished. I delayed as long as I could although I knew I couldn't put off the confrontation long, I didn't think good news would come in time for me to offer them a done deal. After an hour thinking of the best way to present my actions I put my cloak on and walked the corridors to Aro's private chamber. He must assume things were going to get ugly, he didn't want anyone else in Volterra to hear our words. Aro and Marcus were sitting at the table pouring over a map of the area like two campaign commanders readying themselves for battle and if Alice and the guard didn't succeed such preparations might well be necessary. I for one never underestimated The Major for I knew those who had were dead very quickly.

Alice

I knew Jazz and the others must be getting close to Volterra by now and I had sent Felix and Alec to cover the main roads up to the town so we could stop them before they got too close. I saw Esme and Carlisle getting closer too but I dismissed them, if they did appear there was little they could do to help Jazz or hinder me. I was the first to spot Jazz and his friends as their car wound its way through the Italian countryside about a mile from the road leading up to Volterra. I called Felix and Alec back and we got into position ready to stop them. Alec was smiling broadly, he love the opportunity to use his gift and got frustrated at the few chances he got.

"Wait until I give the signal, I want to see who he has with him first."

Alec nodded but never took his eyes off the approaching car while Felix leaned casually against a tree totally unconcerned by the approaching fighters although I knew he had great respect for "The Major" as he would insist on calling Jazz.

I saw Peter and Charlotte in the front with Jazz and Bella in the back accompanied by Emmett, so my brother had found them in the end and joined them, I wondered what Rose would make of that. He'd obviously left her permanently and I could see the tension in his face. He wasn't scared of taking on the Volturi so much as suffering being so far from his mate for so long, Poor Emmett, he really didn't know Rosalie at all! Seeing me at the side of the road the car slowed and I could see Peter gauging his chances of running me over. I smiled but it was only a surface confidence, I couldn't see any visions of any of them or even Felix and Alec although I should be able to see them easily. It was all down to Bella, in some way she was shielding their future in the same way she shielded her thoughts from Edward. Yes that's what it was, she was shielding their thoughts from me so I couldn't see what they would decide, hence I couldn't see the outcome of the fight but I had every confidence I would overcome these five, I had all I needed at my side. Felix didn't move but Alec took a few steps closer waiting for my word. The car doors opened and Peter and Jasper got out standing at ease but watchful as I took a few more steps then spoke,

"So nice to see you again Jazz, I see you have your pit bull with you, and..."

I peered into the car,

"Charlotte, Emmett, and Bella too. How lovely, so sweet to see you all together. Do you really think the Volturi would just let you drive up to the citadel with a welcome mat out?"

"I don't think the Volturi have the faintest fucking idea what you've been doing bitch. I think its only Caius who knows what you have been up to.

"Really, and did you work that out all by yourself Peter? That must have been a real work out for the single brain cell you own."

Normally Peter would be quick to take offence but he just looked at Jazz and grinned,

"I told you she was a real piece of work didn't I?"

"Why don't you all get out and join us?"

Charlotte and Emmett got out first and stood so Bella was hidden from view behind them.

Bella

I was watching the guy Alec who Peter had pointed out to me as being the dangerous one,

"He can cut you off from all your senses Bella. No sight, no hearing, no feelings, just a black silent void and then the guard move in for the kill and you don't even know you're dead. Pretty fucking scary eh?"

I nodded, it did sound scary but Jazz told me his gift took some time to build up so I was watching for the first signs of it affecting my friends. When it did I was ready to try my shield out. Jazz was confident I could do it and that made me surer than I had been. Peter's final shot made me smile,

"Don't worry about it Bella, you get your Musketeers killed we won't be coming back to complain."

I looked round Emmett's bulk to see Alice for the first time since I ran from her at the airport in Phoenix. She looked the same, sweet and bubbly, all innocence, but inside there was a monster and I'd finally seen it.

"Aren't you going to say hello to me Bella? What's up? Cat got your tongue?"

"You disgust me Alice, you betrayed everyone who loved you."

"Well we can't all be perfect can we? Now stand aside or you're going to get hurt and there's no reason why you should suffer now. I was only using you to hurt Jazz."

I shook my head and smiled back at her,

"No, I'm standing by my mate and my friends. You should try it some time Alice it would be a novel experience for you."

She laughed and I saw her glance over to Alec.

Alice

Bella was much more self-assured these days and I guessed it was a result of being around Jazz and his friends, in fact she seemed entirely too confident and that worried me slightly so I gave Alec the signal to start. The smile on his face got broader but none of the others looked overly concerned and that worried me slightly because the Whitlocks must know what he was capable of and Emmett knew too if he thought about the things Carlisle had told us.

"So, did you have fun with my little adventure Jazz?"

"You put my mate in danger Alice, you organised the whole thing and believe me, you will pay for it."

"Oh I'm shivering with fear. I suppose you're going to set your guard dog on me, Peter would love to take me apart."

Peter grinned,

"Oh yeah, but you see I hate to spoil The Majors fun so what the fuck! He can have you as long a I get to watch."

"I wouldn't be as confident if I were you. This is as far as you're going to get."

"You think so? Well, we'll see."

I looked at Alec again and saw he was frowning, what the hell was going on here? Felix straightened up sensing things weren't going as they should and move to Alec's side saying something too low for anyone else to hear. He nodded in reply to something Alec said to him then stepped back and took his phone out.

"What are you doing Felix? You take orders from me while you're here."

Felix grinned,

"Not a chance Cullen".


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter Forty Seven.

Caius

When my phone went I knew it would be bad news, especially when I saw who was ringing, Felix had orders not to disturb me unless it was extremely important. As I answered Aro's phone went too and he looked at the screen one eyebrow raised in apparent surprise.

"Yes?"

I snapped just so he knew now wasn't the time for a long conversation.

"Alec failed."

"What?"

"Alec failed. What do you want me to do?"

"How?"

"Ask him. So?"

I thought furiously then looked across at Aro who was smiling at me and I could see in his eyes that he was well aware what had happened. One of my guard was obviously a double agent and I cursed.

"Pull back."

"And Alice Cullen?"

"Bring her with you."

"Very well."

Marcus looked up from the table and the manuscript he had brought with him,

"What have you been doing Caius?"

His voice was heavy with disapproval.

Alice

We all heard Caius words and Jasper grinned,

"Looks like you lose Alice but you won't be going back to Volterra."

"Oh really? And just who is going to stop me? Felix."

She called his name as if expecting him to come to heel like a pet dog and her looked at her disparagingly,

"Felix I'm being threatened."

"Really I didn't hear a threat just a statement of fact. Are you threatening Alice Cullen Major? You see a threat would force me to act and neither of us want that now do we?"

Jasper shook his head,

"No Felix it wasn't a threat, I don't bother with threats most of the time, they're just a waste of my breath. I was merely stating a fact."

"I thought so, and Alec it looks like you've finally found someone who can stop you, that must be a real shock to the system."

Alec's eyes flickered from one to another of Jaspers party as if trying to work out who was upsetting his gift but I knew.

"Bella's the one Alec. She's shielding her friends from you. Take out Bella and you have the rest. Felix don't you think Caius would like a shield as powerful as this?"

"I'm sure he would Alice but there are a couple of problems with it. One, how do you suggest I take Bella down if she's such a powerful shield? And two, what if I'm not working for Caius? I think Aro and Marcus would be very interested in her too, shall I break her into three so I Can divide her gift between them?"

Jasper

Felix responses to Alice had me wondering, he was no man's puppet so I had a feeling he was working solely for himself here. Caius thought Felix was his man and I had a sneaky feeling that Aro might be under the same illusion. I waited watching for where this would lead.

"You heard Caius. You are to take me to Volterra."

"I heard The Major too, he said you weren't going there, now who should I believe I wonder?"

"You can't disobey your master."

Felix threw his head back and roared with laughter,

"He may be your master Alice Cullen but no man owns me. I've seen too much, heard more, and learned that you can't trust anyone but yourself in the long run. I've been with the Volturi centuries now, I've seen vampires come and go, gifts wax and wane, and only the three brothers remain as always. I think its time I widened my horizons, moved away from their sphere of influence and found my own way in this world. So you see I'm not going back to Volterra, alone or with you. If you want to travel on I suggest you do it alone or maybe Alec will accompany you but I have a feeling he wont be getting far."

Felix looked at me as he said this and I saw he was weighing me up, deciding whether I believed him and if so would I let him go without a fight.

"I've heard a lot about you Felix, you have a reputation as a fearsome warrior but also as an honest man. So I'm prepared to let you go but Alice stays here."

"I can live with that Major. What about Alec?"

"I think he and I need to have a chat. He can do something for me and I'll do something for him. I take it you wont be ringing Caius or the others to say goodbye?"

"I think not, but if you are finished with me?"

I nodded and he threw his cloak into the bushes and strode off towards the main road and away from Volterra.

"So Alice, you didn't see that coming did you?"

She looked at his receding form and shook her head,

"He only decided when he saw Alec was thwarted. What about me? You can't kill me, Caius will hunt you down if you do."

"Alice, Caius has been hunting me down for almost a hundred years, do you really think he'll try any harder because I kill you? After all you didn't even finish the task he gave you. I would like to know though, how long have you worked for the Volturi?"

"Not the Volturi, just Caius. He was the one who transformed me, my sire, I've always worked for him so you see he might well try harder."

"I'm willing to take the risk".

She whirled looking for a way out but she was trapped by the rest who had fanned out except Bella who stood between us and Alec who seemed unsure what to do. Felix switch of sides had caught him off guard too.

"Peter, Charlotte, keep Alice quiet while I talk to Alec."

"With pleasure Major."

Peter was grinning from ear to ear as he took Alice's arm and pulled her to the side of the road and threw her to the ground before taking his position over her menacingly.

Alec looked scared for the first time as I took his arm and led him off into the trees to talk followed by Bella and Emmett.

"Alec, I'm sure you are very eager to get back to Volterra and your sister but I have a little task for you first."

"I work for the Volturi Major, not you."

"That's true but if you don't agree to help me you wont be working for anyone ever again. Now here's my phone, ring Caius and explain what has happened then pass it to me."

He took the phone with trembling fingers and rang Caius.

"Who is this?"

Alec explained what had happened in a few sentences then handed the phone back to me,

"Caius, it seems you lose again. It must be getting tedious. This time though I'm willing to make a deal with you."

"A deal? What kind of deal. You're in my country now Major and I can have the guard on you in an instant."

"You could but they might fare worse than poor Alec here, you see I'm losing patience rapidly. I'm borrowing Alec for a few days so I can visit an old friend, after that he can go home. In return for his life I want your oath that you will not act against me in the future. If you refuse or agree and break your oath I will come to Volterra and drag your lying body from the citadel before burning it in the main square."

"What makes you think you could do that?"

"I stopped Alec from using his gift, do you think I could stop the others? Are you willing to take the risk? The choice is yours but I'm short on time so make your mind up."

"I want Alice Cullen."

"She's not negotiable."

"She's gifted. I need her here."

"I'll bet you do after the others found out what you were up to, a nice little consolation prize. Sorry but she's mine, no deal."


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter Forty Eight

Caius

I was forced to explain what I'd done with Alice Cullens help,

"She came up with the idea and you know what he did to me."

Marcus looked at Aro and shook his head then turned his gaze back to me,

"There are three of us on the ruling council for a reason brother, sometimes personal feelings have to be put aside for the good of our world. The Children of the Moon are extinct, does it really matter who killed the last few? You should have let The Major walk away instead of confronting him. I know you think yourself an excellent fighter but he was better. You were lucky to survive at all. Aro and I made a deal with Maria and The Major. She would be allowed to control the covens in Central and South America and he would not be punished for his actions against you so long as he didn't threaten the Volturi. He was the one man who had any chance of overthrowing our power at the time, and I'd say still is if motivated to, and I'd say you are making him highly motivated."

"He's a barbarian, as you say a threat, taking him out would have been the best thing for all of us."

"But you didn't Caius. You failed, he beat you once again and very soon he'll be knocking on our gates. What do you suggest we do? I doubt he'll be alone this time. You fool, you could well have sounded the death knell for us all unless we can do some diplomatic manoeuvring and fast. Not only that but you have alienated the Cullens. They too had our word that so long as they didn't become too powerful or show any signs of threatening us they, Carlisle, would be allowed to live the way he chose."

"He had powerful gifts in his coven, They were a threat."

"Only in your imagination Caius. No, we have a great deal of damage limitation to accomplish here through your stupidity."

My phone went again and Aro gestured for me to answer it, he was really enjoying himself and even Marcus appeared engaged. They heard Alec's words and I saw the two of them nod their heads. They also listened to my conversation with The Major then Aro held out his hand and I was forced to hand the phone to him and listen as he traded with my enemy.

Jasper

I heard Aro's voice next so he'd taken over the negotiations, Caius was really in trouble this time and I had to smile,

"Major Whitlock, I am most aggrieved to hear what my brother has been doing. It was never our, Marcus and I that is, intention to renege on our word. We had no idea Caius had set such actions in motion but we would like to offer our apologies and try to make things right. You are more than welcome to use Alec's services although it grieves me that Maria must die. She has been a loyal ally until recently, still I'm sure another will take her place in time. As for Alice Cullen that is more problematical. We all know she had a very powerful and useful gift and to ask us to stand by while you destroy her is asking a little too much I fear. Perhaps we could arrange to ensure she never leaves Volterra. Would that be sufficient for you?"

"No."

He waited but I had nothing more to say on the subject,

"I see. Is there any way we could prevent you from destroying her?"

"Yes. Kill me first."

He knew I was in deadly earnest.

"Then I fear we must say goodbye to poor Alice Cullen, a pity but not worth a war. I take it Felix will not be joining your circle of friends?"

"No, I can assure you of that, he has his own agenda and who knows perhaps he may come back to Italy in time."

"True, I think he will find it hard in the human world but we will see. Do you have any other requests?"

"Yes just the one."

"Really? Only one?"

"I want a guarantee that no one standing with me will be harmed by the Volturi at any time."

"And who pray do you have with you Major? Apart from the Whitlocks I mean, their presence goes as read."

"Emmett Cullen and my mate Bella Swan."

"Oh yes the human girl Caius told us of. The same one presumably who stopped Alec's gift from having its effect. Very well but on one condition, the girl must become one of us. I will not break the law on that one Major."

"She has already agreed to that Aro as soon as our mop up operation has been completed."

"Very well, I think we have a deal, just a second please."

Aro

I looked at Marcus who nodded sombrely,

"I think it's the best we could hope for, besides if his mate is a powerful shield I don't think we have much to threaten him with do you?"

I agreed with his reading of the situation and turned to Caius who sat tight-lipped,

"And you brother?"

He stared at me defiantly and I waited,

"I need an answer from you Caius. It seems to me you have two choices here. You can agree to The Majors demands and keep your seat here on the Volturi nice and safe or you can decide to defy us, refuse to acknowledge the settlement Marcus and I have agreed with The Major and leave Volterra."

His eyes widened in shock. I knew he hadn't expected that, did he not realize that our safety depended on our ability to stick together? If he didn't then he was not only blind but stupid too.

"Caius? The Major is waiting for an answer and from the sounds of things he won't continue to wait much longer."

"Very well. I agree but I believe we are wrong."

"You are welcome to your own thoughts on the matter but you will toe the line Caius. Major I take it you heard that? We are in agreement. If you could send Alec back as soon as you are finished with his services I know his sister will be anxious for his safe return."

"I will, thank you Aro."

I disconnected and smiled at Bella.

"I think it's almost over darlin' Lets get back to the others."

Bella

I was relieved that the Volturi had agreed to Jaspers demands, it seemed they were as scared of him or at least as aware of his power as Peter and the others. Not only was he a warrior, he was a diplomat too! We got back to find Peter, Charlotte, and Alice had been joined by Carlisle and Esme. I tense wondering if they were going to ruin everything but Esme ran to me, hugging me and telling me how sorry she was for the things Alice and Rose had put me through then did the same to Jasper. Carlisle stood back a little looking at his daughter in disappointment but she was busy watching Peter. If he gave her the slightest possibility of escape she was ready but he was too old a hand at the game and never took his eyes from her. I thought he would be only too happy if she tried something. When Carlisle looked up and met my gaze he sighed heavily.

"Bella I am so sorry for all you have been through. To say I had no ideas what Alice was doing may be true but it's no excuse, I should have seen it as her father figure. I just hope you can forgive Esme and myself."

I nodded,

"It wasn't your fault Carlisle and I'm sorry for the damage she's done to your family, I know you loved all your children."

"Yes we did but perhaps a little too much and it blinded us to their weaknesses."


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter Forty Nine

Bella

I wondered if Carlisle and Esme might beg for Alice's life and I was shocked when they didn't although they had been treated badly by her. For myself I hated her for what she'd done to Jasper and Emmett more than me but I think Jasper realized I couldn't watch as they killed her. He was also worried what I might think if I saw him kill her so he and Peter took her arms and dragged her screaming and begging for me to save her into the trees followed closely by Charlotte. Emmett came over to me and put his arms around me holding me in a bear hug as I shook, tears of sorrow running down my cheeks. I looked up to see Carlisle comforting Esme in the same way, Alice had marked each one of us in some way, none of us would ever be able to forget her. I smelled a strange perfume in the air and a few minutes later the others came back, grim-faced but resolute. Emmett let me go and Jasper waited, I could feel his wariness, then I threw myself at him holding him so close as if I could melt into him and he relaxed wrapping his strong arms around me and kissing my hair as always.

As we drove to Pisa airport with Alec the others discussed the upcoming meeting with Maria in Mexico. Although I begged to be allowed to accompany them both Jasper and Peter were adamant that was impossible.

"No Bella. We may have Alec with us but I don't want you anywhere near Maria."

"The Majors right Bella. She's pure evil, you don't want to have anything to do with her."

"I have to come, what if things go wrong? What if Alec decides to work against you?"

They both looked at Alec who sat silent in the back between Peter and Emmett.

"I don't think that very likely Bella, now is it Alec?"

He shook his head but I felt uneasy,

"I want to go with you."

Charlotte spoke up then,

"I think Bella's right, she should be with us. Its safer all round".

"What about your father? Wouldn't you like to go back to Forks with Carlisle and Esme just to see he's OK?"

"Yes of course I would but not while you are still fighting."

"Bella it's not going to be a fight I promise you. That's why I asked for Alec's help."

"It'll be an extermination Bella pure and fucking simple."

In the end I got my way while Carlisle promised to check on my dad, things would never be the same between us again but he was still my dad and he had been almost killed because of me. We flew straight to Mexico then hired a truck to take us into the desert where Maria had her compound. It was hot and dusty and the jolting of the truck bruised my body and made muscles ache that I hadn't known existed before. Jasper tried his hardest to protect me from the worst of the jolts but I was so relieved when the truck finally came to a halt and we climbed out.

"It's only a mile to the camp so I 'll go in first with Alec, Peter you and Charlotte follow me, Emmett you watch out for Bella and follow Peter in when he gives you the signal and not before."

I hated not being with Jasper but I knew this was for my own good and I was going to be close enough to use my shield if it became necessary.

In the event it wasn't, at least not at first, Alec started building his gift at a distance and by the time we got to the compound it seemed as if it were inhabited by an army of statues,, each frozen in time by some terrible curse. While Emmett stuck fast to my side the others picked the statues up and piled them like a huge bonfire adding more and more until they had to start another heap then lighting them. I smelled the same strange perfume I had back in Italy when Alice was destroyed and this time I saw the thick purple hued smoke too but then Peter came out with a female statue. This must be Maria herself, she was very petite with long thick black hair and a hauntingly beautiful face. This was the woman who had bitten Jasper and turned him from a human to a vampire, from an honourable Major into a killing machine. She had been his lover for so many years until he finally broke away from her. Now he watched as Peter stood her in the centre of the compound away from the fire and smoke then Jasper nodded and Alec closed his eyes slowly as if falling asleep. As his spell dissipated Charlotte came out of one of the cabins with two terrified humans, females with dirty ragged clothes, holding each other and weeping silently. Jasper looked over but didn't really see them, Emmett did though and left me to help them out of the gates by ripping them open. Then Charlotte spoke to them in rapid Spanish and with a final look back at the compound they broke into a run kicking up dust behind them. Alec at a nod from Jasper also left but running the opposite way and I knew he would be reporting to the Volturi as soon as he could.

I heard a cry of surprise and turned back to see Maria blink and rub her eyes, then she smiled,

"So Major. I knew you couldn't stay away and you brought some friends too. Peter and Charlotte, its been a long time".

Her eyes flashed to me,

"This must be the human who captured the savages heart. She doesn't look much Major. Is she good in bed? As good as me? I doubt it, she looks like a child. Why don't you come home where you belong? At my side, we were wonderful."

Jasper didn't speak, instead he stripped off his shirt and threw it to Peter who caught it deftly. Her eyes raked over his naked torso and I felt the jealousy boiling up inside me, he was mine not hers! He smiled at me briefly feeling my emotions then motioned her forward.

"Oh you want to play Major? Very well, it might be fun."

They moved too fast for the human eye to catch. One moment they were standing yards apart, the next they were in each others arms almost as if hugging but I saw her teeth flash white and snap at him. He moved too fast for her and I heard a cry as he threw her through the air to crash into the side of a cabin. She was on her feet again instantly and ran at him this time avoiding his arm and sinking her teeth into his biceps. He winced and I saw red shooting out my shield to cover him in a shimmering golden cloak of air. She tried again and again to reach him but was stopped every time while I watched the bite heal. Then I dropped the shield again and the fight resumed but she had lost, she just wasn't quick enough or powerful enough to take him out, her killing machine had finally turned on its maker and as I watched she became a heap of limbs and vampire flesh that was tossed on the dying fires by Peter and Charlotte. When it was finally over I ran to Jasper wrapping him in my arms and kissing his face, his throat, any part of him I could reach without breaking our embrace.

"Fuck, if I'd known that was the prize I'd have taken her on myself."

Charlotte hit Peter on the arm.

"Shut up. I think it's really sweet, so romantic"

"Shit you want romance now? I think we need to get the fuck out of here before Bella gives you any more crazy fucking ideas!"

Jasper finally retrieved his shirt and shrugged it on much to my disappointment which of course he felt and grinned again.

"Well are we finished now? Can we go home? I'm getting fed up of jetting all round the fucking globe. I thought being a Musketeer meant a few days in France, a couple of sword fights, a few pretty French maidens then...ouch."

This time Charlotte's smack had been harder and he decided keeping quiet was the best policy.

"Yes I think its time we went home, but Bella should visit her father first."

Peter just rolled his eyes,

"Well you go visit the sick, I'm going hunting, come on Char we'll find them later."

Emmett made the decision at the last moment to fly back to Forks with us,

"I have to see Rose. I can't just leave her Bella. I love her, despite all she did I still love her."

I understood to a degree and I wasn't going to make it difficult for him but I didn't want to see Rose again and was upset because I knew it meant I wouldn't see Emmett either. We hugged at the airport before parting, he to the Cullen house and us to the hospital in Port Angeles.


	50. Chapter 50

Chapter Fifty

Bella

I was nervous about seeing my dad after the way we had parted but I needed to know he would be OK. Jasper arranged to wait outside in the car for me and I made my way to Charlie's room, my heart beating fast. I opened the door quietly and peeped round to see Charlie and was shocked, he looked so pale and gaunt although it had been over a week since the attack. I tiptoed in and sat beside his bed careful to avoid all the leads and drips, slightly overwhelmed by the monitors beeping and flashing,

"Dad, how are you feeling?"

His eyes flickered open and he looked at me bleary eyed,

"Bella? Is it really you?"

"Yes its me. You look awful."

"I feel like I just got hit by an express train but they tell me I'm going to live so I have to believe them I guess."

"I'm so sorry Dad."

"Sorry? It's not your fault Bella. I should be more careful."

I touched his hand, it felt cold and I could feel he was trembling,

"Are you cold?"

"No, tired and sore. I feel like I've been smoking 50 a day for years."

"You've got broken ribs and a collapsed lung."

"So they tell me"

He winced and I could see he was struggling to stay awake so I got up,

"I'll come back and see you tomorrow when you're more awake."

"You will come back wont you Bells? I need to speak to you about...well you know."

"I know. Yes I'll come back I promise. Is there anything you want me to bring in?"

"The licence plate of the truck that hit me".

I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek,

"You sleep now."

By the time I reached the door he was already snoring and I shut the door quietly so as not to disturb him.

Jasper

I was relieved when I saw Bella emerge from the hospital, I was so used to having her with me all the time it had been unnerving to watch her disappear from my sight. She ran to the car and pulled open the door almost falling in her haste to get close to me again. I kissed her and allowed the calmness and peace to flow over me before asking how her father was.

"He looks like he was hit by a freight train but I think he'll be OK. I promised to visit again tomorrow because he was so drugged up this evening."

"OK then I guess we better find somewhere to stay. Would a motel be OK?"

"I guess so, I don't want to sleep in the house besides it will be more convenient."

I nodded and we drove to the closest motel where I booked a room for two nights. I wasn't sure how long she planned on staying as Charlie was so bad. The room was clean but spartan and after dropping our bags off I suggested we go eat.

"That reminds me. When did you eat last?"

I looked at her rather shocked by the question.

"I'm fine Bella. I'll go hunt when you sleep. I know this area and I wont need to go far to find something."

She nodded but I detected a little disappointment in her face, what was that about?

Bella

My stomach was churning at the thought of spending the night alone with Jasper in a motel room but then he informed me that he'd be leaving me to go hunt. I wasn't sure what I expected to happen, or even what I wanted to happen but I did want him to stay with me. I ate hurriedly not really tasting the food while he watched me a little puzzled.

"Would you like to go for a walk or something?"

Then I got it, he thought I was nervous at the thought of being alone with him, especially in a room with a big empty bed.

"No I'm fine. I think I'll take a shower and watch TV while you're gone."

"I can wait till you're asleep if you like, if it would make you feel better."

"No its fine. You go you must be very thirsty by now."

He put his arm around me and we walked slowly back to the motel room leaving me after unlocking the door and handing me the key.

"I wont be long I promise but if you're asleep I'll stay in the car."

"You take the key. I won't be asleep anyway but I hate to think of you sitting in the car all night."

He shook his head,

"You lock the door before you shower."

I nodded and he kissed me very gently on the lips before walking slowly to the trees that bordered the parking lot then turned and motioned me to go inside.

Once inside I locked the door and sank down in the chair turning the TV on, I was missing him already and it made me feel jumpy so I grabbed some clean underwear and ran a shower standing under the hot water to ease the aches I still had from the road trip in Mexico. When I came out I checked the car through the window but he wasn't there. Drying my hair I slipped on some old sweats I'd always slept in and curled up on the bed flicking through the channels until I found an old black and white film, Great Expectations, and lay there watching the figures flicker on the screen with the sound turned down so I wouldn't miss his returning knock. The hours passed so slowly and my nerves became more ragged with every sound outside. It was about one in the morning before I heard a soft tap on the door and flew to open it running straight into his arms.

"Well now, if I'd known you'd miss me this badly I'd have pretended to leave before now."

I refused to let go of him so he swept me up with one arm and kicked the door shut behind him walking to the bed and putting me down gently.

"I'm just going to grab a quick shower. I wont be long"

I watched as he disappeared then heard the shower switched on and my mind ran riot with possibilities. The thought of him naked on the other side of the thin partition wall was sending me crazy and for a second I contemplated joining him but I had no ideas what he would say or what I would do if I did. I had no sexual experiences to fall back on, this really was virgin territory for me!

Jasper

I had been as fast as I could but I had to range further than I wanted to in order to quench my thirst. Being around Bella all the time was getting easier but I still felt the burn in my throat now and again and there was no way I was putting her in danger, not even the slightest chance of it so I made sure I hunted well. Bella was pleased to see me come back but I couldn't hold her as close as I wanted, not with the taint of blood still on me so I grabbed some clothes and ran a shower trying to take my time under the water although all I wanted was to be in that big bed with my mate. I wondered what she was expecting of me? I was almost sure she was a virgin and that would make matters more difficult because I would scent her blood and it would tempt me if only a little. I was getting ahead of myself though, would she want to have sex with me or was it too soon? Would I have to keep my desires under strict control and could I? The more I thought about it the more nervous I got and it took a while to control myself enough to get dressed and go back into the bedroom, a part of me almost wished she was asleep, but only almost.


	51. Chapter 51

Chapter Fifty One

Bella

Jasper came out of the bathroom towel drying his hair and dressed in sweats like me only they looked much better, much more sexy, on him and I allowed myself a good look while his eyes were covered with the towel. For the first time since we met he was wearing a short sleeved tee shirt and in the flickering light of the TV I could just make out some faint markings on his skin, almost like flesh coloured tattoos they were so similar. I hadn't even realized I was walking until I found myself in front of him tracing the pattern with my fingertip on his right arm. With a start I recognised the shape, these were bite marks, scores of them up his arm and I ran my fingertips along his jaw line, yes here too. Battle scars from his days in Maria's army I guessed.

"Do they hurt?"

He dropped the towel and I could see his eyes were a darker shade of gold than usual,

"No. Not any more but they did at the time."

"Do you have more?"

He sighed,

"Yes, a lot."

I swallowed, it seemed suddenly a very personal question and I blushed,

"I'm sorry that was rude of me."

"No, you have every right to know these things."

"Then..."

I hesitated and swallowed nervously,

"Could I see?"

Without breaking eye contact he lifted his tee-shirt and fast as a flash took it off and threw it on the bed.

"Be my guest"

He sounded sad and a little bitter, as if he thought any blemishes on his skin might make me feel differently about him.

Jasper

I had been dreading this moment but I knew I couldn't put it off indefinitely and she had asked me outright which was a refreshing change. I felt very self-conscious standing here semi naked in a motel room with the woman I called my mate which was stupid but I was worried what she might think of me. I had pushed her understanding and acceptance to its limit too many times recently, seeing me take Alice into the woods knowing what I was about to do to her old friend, then watching me fight and ultimately kill Maria plus killing off her newborn army while they were helpless. What would it take for her to see the monster inside and run screaming from me? I closed my eyes, I didn't want to see that moment, I would feel it in any case. I shivered as I felt her hot finger tips trace the scars on my collar-bone then carry on down my chest and despite knowing what was coming I couldn't stop myself from reacting to the erotic feeling. I groaned very softly as I felt myself stiffen and was glad I was wearing sweats. I heard her breathing become faster and then waves of lust hit me, almost knocking me to my knees, Bella wanted me, she wanted me as much as I wanted her? I hardly dare believe what I was feeling and kept perfectly still.

Bella

He was so beautiful, even with all the scars and he was right there were a lot, they covered him like a single intricate design on his smooth skin. I couldn't resist tracing their path with my fingertips and I saw him tense then relax again. He felt so smooth, so perfect, and I longed to feel his skin on mine but I wasn't sure what to do. In the end I took a deep breath and touched his throat with my lips, running my tongue along one of the scars. His hands flew up and for a second I thought he was going to push me away but instead he pulled me closer so I could feel his cold body against my clothes and wished them gone. I continued to kiss his throat for a long time as his hands ran up and down my back before finally slipping beneath my sweat shirt and caressing my naked skin with his cold fingers. I pushed myself closer to him hungrily and felt something, he was hard, he wanted me and I couldn't help a smile of triumph. I was able to make this Vampire God desire me and that felt good. I was aching for him too and wanted to tear my clothes off and pull him atop me on the bed but again I was a little uncertain.

"Bella, you are so beautiful. I must be honest with you. All I want to do is to take you to bed and make love to you. I hope that doesn't shock or horrify you too much."

I took a deep breath,

"Then do Jasper. Please make love to me."

He lifted me up and carried me to the bed laying me down for a second then slipping my top over my head to leave me, like him, half-naked. He looked down at me and I blushed, feeling very uncertain and ugly but he smiled and traced each breast with a single fingertip making me shudder and moan. Sitting astride me he continued his exploration of my breasts with his fingers then his tongue and I felt myself become wet and eager. I ground myself into him trying to get some relief from the tension building in my body but I just made it worse.

Jasper

I was trying my best to take things slow and gentle for Bella's sake, besides this was her first time and I wanted it to be memorable for all the right reasons but she was driving me crazy as she moved under me and I felt like I would explode if I wasn't inside her soon like an inexperienced schoolboy. I stood up and hooked my fingers into the waistband of her sweat pants pulling them down slowly giving her plenty of time to stop me if she wanted to. She lifted her hips to help me and I knew she was ready for me. Her eyes opened slowly and she watched as I stripped off completely feeling extremely naked, something I had never felt before, she was taking in every part of me as I stood there erect and throbbing almost painfully. She parted her lips and spoke my name and then her arms came up and I went to her, feeling her body scorching mine as I kissed her again,

"Are you sure about this Bella?"

My own voice was little more than a hoarse whisper I was so mad with desire for her and she nodded,

"Yes"

It was a single word but it change both our lives for ever as I took my time sliding inside her taking the pain away as I broke through and felt myself fill her sweet warm body with my own cold one.

She gasped and tensed again but just for a second before clasping my hips and pulling me further in. As I started to move very gently she sighed and I saw her lips part and her eyes mist with desire and pleasure. Using every ounce of self-control left to me I move just a little faster, then I have to admit my own desire took over and I found myself sliding down the slope leading to my own orgasm and only held out a few seconds after hers before coming explosively. I couldn't help a small cry of triumph as I made her mine in the most primeval way possible.


	52. Chapter 52

Chapter Fifty Two

Jasper

Bella fell asleep in my arms a smile on her lips and her face flushed with emotion. She looked even more beautiful now and I breathed deeply, her scent had changed subtly, there was a hint of me in there now, and that filled me with pride. I stroked her cheek and pulled the blankets more closely around her but as every other time she pulled it away so our bodies were touching and murmured my name. Laying here with my mate in my arms my life felt finally complete. I could see a future for myself at last, a home with my beautiful Bella anywhere she wanted to live. I would show her the wonders of the world, travel if she wanted. My mate could have anything she wanted. She moved a little then opened her eyes to look into my face.

"Good morning beautiful."

She smiled and it lit a fire in my body again, I felt warm.

"Hi, I was just thinking it must have been a wonderful dream."

"That's what I was thinking too but I had you in my arms so I knew it was reality. You know something Bella, I could stay here like this for ever but I can tell you need to eat."

She blushed,

"More than that I need the bathroom for a few human minutes."

I laughed as she struggled out of the tangle of sheets and blankets and stumbled her way to the bathroom, her beautiful body with redness in places where I hadn't been as gentle as I should have been. I got up and pulled the bed together smiling at the small blood stains on the sheet. I hadn't even recognised the smell last night, I was far too interested in her body and that put my mind further at rest.

Bella

So it wasn't a dream but a wonderful reality him laying beside me and the soreness in parts of my anatomy were proof enough. I felt wonderful, as if I were aflame inside, but it was a wonderful warmth not a terrible heat. I looked at myself in the mirror, examining first my face, did I look any different? Would anyone be able to tell I had turned from a girl to a woman? I thought they might, there was a shine to my eyes. Then I looked at my body, there were some red marks and a small bruise on one hip then I saw it, the small smear of blood on my thigh and I blushed. Had the scent if my blood tortured Jasper even as he made love to me? Dare I ask him or should I ignore it? After all it wasn't going to happen again. I smiled as I remembered last night then he was standing behind me his arms curled round me cupping my breasts.

"You get more beautiful every time I look at you. Shall we shower?"

I nodded and he turned the water on checking it wasn't too hot for me then helped me in and I stood as he took the sponge and washed me all over, I would never think the same way about a shower again! He felt my emotions change again and kissed my neck,

"It's about time to visit Charlie Bella, unless of course you have other things on your mind."

Oh I did but I thought again and groaned.

"I really should visit while he isn't so tired."

"Yes you should but I promise you we will continue this later."

That made me shiver with anticipation but he slapped my bare rump lightly and got out wrapping his fabulous body in a bath towel and hiding the best view I'd ever had.

Jasper drove me to the hospital and waited in the car for me,

"I don't think its a good ideas for me to go up. Charlie isn't well enough for any more shocks and I'm not feeling well disposed towards him anyway."

I nodded but hated leaving him even for an hour to see my dad and our kiss was sweet and lingering. I kept looking back as I walked to the entrance and he watched still smiling until I couldn't see him any longer and took the lift up to Charlie's floor. I could hear voices coming from his room and recognised them, Harry and Jake. I suppose it could have been worse but not much, still I straightened my shoulders, planted a smile firmly on my face, and walked in.

"Hi dad."

Jake turned amazed to hear my voice, so dad hadn't told them I was back or they hadn't believed him. He looked a little brighter this morning but he was still in pain if he moved. He smiled and held out the had without any needles in it and I took it shocked at how weak his grasp was.

"I told them I'd seen you yesterday but they didn't believe me I guess."

"Well here I am. Harry Jake. You two OK?"

Harry nodded throwing a look at Jake then moving his head just a little as if to say go. Jake turned back to Charlie,

"I'm gonna get you a paper Charlie. I wont be long."

He nodded and continued to look at me,

"You have time to talk to your old man Bella?"

I pulled a chair closer with my free hand and sat by the bed,

"Sure dad. Harry would you mind? I'd like to speak to my dad in private."

Charlie

I could see Harry wasn't happy about leaving but he couldn't do anything else so he nodded,

"Sure Bella. I'll see you later Charlie."

When we were alone I looked at Bella, somehow she looked different, more grown up suddenly,

"I need to apologise for what happened at the house, when I brought you back. I acted very badly, I don't know what happened to me but I hope you can forgive me Bella. I never mean to hurt you, not my little girl. I was so worried about you, after you just took off, why you needed to run from me when Edward upset you. Why you didn't ring me or your mum or someone. When you left again was it with the same man or men you were with in the motel?"

"Yes, and I'm leaving with him again very soon now I know you're going to be OK. I can't stay Dad I'm sorry."

"Will you tell me who you were with?"

She looked at the window.

"OK yes. I'm with Jasper, Edwards brother."

"Carlisle's son? How did that happen?"

"I can't explain but he's been very good to me. He loves me and I love him."

"Is he here now?"

"Yes. In the car park."

"I'd like to speak to him before you leave. Just so I know who he is, make me feel better I guess."

"Have you heard about Mum?"

"Yeah, Harry told me a fire, Phil too. I guess if you don't have her and you don't trust me any more its good you have someone you do trust."

"Well I do trust him and he will look after me."

"Good"

Jasper

I saw Jacob come out of the hospital and I knew he was looking for me so I got out of the car and stood waiting for him at the edge if the trees. He glanced at me then came over looking pissed,

"So you finally brought her back then Cullen."

"Bella came back to see Charlie that's all Jake. I'm sure she'll speak to you about saving Charlie when she's finished visiting."

"Yeah well its a good job we did or she wouldn't have any parents left at all, now would she."

"True. Thank you for that."

"We didn't do it for your benefit leech."

"I know but I thank you in any case."

"I wonder what Charlie will think when he knows you've been screwing his daughter."

I grabbed him by the throat and pulled him close holding his hands behind him with my other,

"You listen to me cub. What Bella and I do is none of your business and if you ever speak about her like that again I will break every bone in your body. I hope you heard that Harry Clearwater because it was a promise not a threat"

I pushed Jake to the ground and saw his body start to shiver so looking round I raised an eyebrow,

"That should make for good press, Quileute changes into wolf in hospital car park in front of witnesses."

"He's right Jake, calm down now."

Jake got up and glared first at Harry then at me before running into the trees,

"There's no way Jake should have spoken about Bella like that."

"No he shouldn't and he wont again, I'll make sure of that."

"Make sure you do Harry."

I turned and looked into the trees where Jake had disappeared watching in case he decided to come back, but he didn't.


	53. Chapter 53

Chapter Fifty Three

Bella

I sat with dad for another hour talking about the short spell when he, Renee, and I lived as a family and the times I had as a visitor to Forks after they split up. I still loved my father but I no longer trusted him. He may not have meant to hurt me but he had lost his temper and it could have been a lot worse than it was. I knew my place was with Jasper and I trusted that he would keep me safe and as soon as I asked him he would change me so I would never be hurt again. I'd been through too much over the last few weeks to go back to being Bella Swan, stumbling my way through my human life. I know Charlie realized this as his eyes misted over,

"When are you going Bella?"

"Soon. I'll visit once more before I go, later today and I'll see if Jasper will come with me."

"Will you keep in touch?"

"I'll try but things are different now dad, I'm starting a new life with Jasper so I don't suppose I'll see much of you."

"Are you going to the funeral? I would have but I don't think I'm in any fit state."

"I hadn't thought about it. I don't know. I have to leave now."

I leaned in and kissed his forehead before turning and leaving him to his thoughts.

Jasper

I saw Bella come out the door looking thoughtful but as soon as she saw me a huge smile replaced that look and she ran over.

"I missed you Jasper. I hate being apart."

I swung her round and kissed her in welcome before opening the door for her,

"Ready for some lunch?"

She nodded but the thoughtful look was back,

"Is there a problem Bella?"

"No not really, Charlie asked me if I was going to Renee's funeral and I realized I hadn't even thought about it. Does that make me a bad person?"

"Were you very close to your mother?"

"I was at one time but then she got married again and I felt in the way. She wanted to spend time with Phil and it made things awkward so I suggested moving here to live with my dad. We'd grown apart I guess. You know sometimes I feel like a ship on the ocean with nowhere to dock, as if there's nowhere I can call home. It's a horrible feeling and I was glad I'd stopped feeling it but I'm scared it will come back again."

"Bella you will always have somewhere to call home. Right by my side. Wherever we go we will always be together."

She looked at me with tears in her eyes and took my hand squeezing it in her own.

"I know. I guess I just can't believe how lucky I am."

Once in the café I told Bella of my meeting with Jake and Harry.

"I think I got my message across but Jake is very unstable so please, for me, don't go near him."

She nodded,

"He wasn't very happy when he left but I guess he could smell you on me."

I grinned,

"I think he knew what had happened between us too."

"How?"

"We all have our own scent Bella and both the wolves and vampires can detect any change in this. Now you and I are intimately connected your scent has changed very subtly."

"What about yours?"

"Yes mine too."

"Does that mean that next time we meet up with Athos he's going to know?"

"I'm afraid so."

She blushed furiously at the thought of what Peter might say to her, not if but the exact form his teasing would take. I could tell her I'd have a word, ask him to ease up a bit but it was like asking the tide not to ebb and flow, it just wasn't going to happen, not with Peter.

Bella

We rang Carlisle and Esme to see how they were and check Emmett was OK.

"He's giving Rose a very hard time but I don't blame him. Edward asked about you Bella."

"I'm not interested Esme, as far as I'm concerned Edward no longer exists. We're leaving Port Angeles soon but I'd like to see Porthos again."

"Who?"

"Sorry Esme, Emmett. Do you think I could speak to him?"

"Just a second I'll see where he is."

I waited and then the receiver was picked up but it wasn't Emmett's voice I heard but Roses.

"Bella I know you don't want to speak to me but I wanted to apologise for my actions. You've proved your loyalty to Jasper. My only excuse was that I was stupid, I let Alice use me and yes at the time I wanted to get you out of our lives."

"Rose I don't give a damn about what you did to me or how you felt or feel about me What I do care about is that you put Jasper in danger and you deceived Emmett. We have nothing to say to each other Rose. Goodbye."

I put the phone down on her thinking I probably wouldn't see Porthos again and that made me sad, I liked Emmett, no I loved Emmett like a brother. In fact I missed both my Musketeers as well as Charlotte.

Jasper

I felt Bella's sorrow and cursed that Rose had got to the phone first,

"I could go and see Emmett if you like, I'm sure he'd like to say goodbye to you Bella."

She shook her head,

"No, it's not fair. Rose is his mate and I can't come between them Jazz. I know how I'd feel if someone tried to come between us, I'd kill them. I just have to accept I wont be seeing him again. Lets go see Charlie then we can get the hell away from here. Do you have somewhere Jazz? You know I never asked you about that. I know so little about you except that I can't live without you."

"I have a couple of places but nowhere I'd take you Bella. We'll get somewhere of our own darlin' Just as soon as we get away from here. The world is yours to choose a home."

She looked at me with tears in her eyes,

"I love you so much Jazz. I just want to get out of here, Away from Charlie, the wolves, and everything that reminds me of Forks and Edward Cullen."

"OK, Lets get this over. Hospital then we hit the highway south."

I drove to the hospital again and went up to Charlie's room with Bella, not wanting to see him after what he did to my Bella but it was only for a little while so I gritted my teeth and followed her into his room. He looked at me as Bella went and kissed him on the cheek,

"Dad this is Jasper."

He nodded and held out a shaky hand which I shook briefly before sitting down the other side of the room.

"I take it you don't think much of me Jasper Hale?"

"That's about right Chief Swan. I don't think much of any man who harms his own daughter,"

"It was an accident, I was angry and worried about her."

"Really? And hurting her showed her just how much you care?"

"I've already apologised to my daughter and she accepted it."

"Well she's got a good heart and you're all she has now except for me."

"Yes and you're going to look after her now I hear, Where will you go? Can you support her?"

"They are questions a father has a right to ask but you forfeit those rights when you drew blood Chief Swan. I'll answer but understand I don't have to. I will look after her and yes I can provide for her and look after her, as to where we go that's for her to decide. It's also her choice if she tells you. Now I'm going down to wait outside for her because if not I might just forget you're her father and show you what I think of men who take their temper out on their family members. I'll see you in a bit Bella."

I kissed her on the cheek and went out glad that neither if them could see just how angry with Charlie I really was.


	54. Chapter 54

Chapter Fifty Four

Bella

Dad watched as Jasper left and I knew he wasn't happy but what could he say? Everything Jasper had said was true, my dad had lost his temper and hurt me, even if only by accident, I hadn't dare tell Jasper that the first instinct had been to lash out at me and only my ducking at the right moment saved me from being hit round the face.

"Dad I'm going now. I'm really sorry it ended this way but I can't stay, I trusted you to look after me as my father and you betrayed that trust. You taught me to question everyone, not to give my trust unless it is earned. Well its been earned by Jasper and his friends. They put themselves in danger to save me. I hope you recover enough to go back to work."

I stood up and he looked at the wall too ashamed to look at me.

"I'm truly sorry Bella but please try to find it in your heart to forgive me and keep in touch."

I nodded and went to the door.

"By the way dad, be careful, not everyone is what they seem, even close friends have dirty little secrets."

I left him then, wondering if Harry or Billy would explain my words if that is, Charlie asked. I doubted it but then I doubted he would even discuss our chat with them, too embarrassing for him.

Outside I saw Jasper but once again he wasn't alone, this time it was Rosalie who stood talking to him, her attitude one of pleading. I wasn't sure whether to walk over or wait till she left but then as if she sensed me she looked over and started to walk towards me. I decided I wasn't hiding from her, after all she was in the wrong not me. Jasper reached me first and put an arm protectively around my shoulders,

"Bella, I need to speak to you please."

"Rose I have nothing to say to you and you have nothing to say to me that I care to hear. I never did anything to you and neither did Jasper who you professed to love like a brother. It appears to me that your kind of love is like Charlie's, very dangerous to those around you. I feel sorry for Emmett, tied to a bitch like you. I'm ready to leave Jasper."

"I deserved all that I admit Bella but I really hoped for Emmett's sake you might try to forgive me. There's nothing I can do to put things right I understand that but I have learned a valuable lesson and I'm not responsible for any deaths."

"Oh that's all right then, I understand. How could I be so insensitive! Jasper let's go now before I lose my temper."

He shrugged,

"I told you Rose. Bella feels the way you would if someone put Emmett's life at risk. People died Rose, humans and our kind and for what? Spite?"

Jasper

Once in the car we drove away from Port Angeles but Bella was very quiet and I wondered what she was thinking,

"Do you think I was wrong Jasper? Should I try to forgive her for Emmett's sake? Its just...I don't know, she reminds me too much of Alice and everything she did. Rose was manipulated by her I accept that but the bottom line is she wanted me dead or at least away from the family by any means. I feel like my whole world, the one I knew, the one I thought I understood and knew who to trust just crashed and burned. There's no one now, just you and me and a few loyal friends."

"You'll always have me Bella you are my family, my world, everything I will ever need."

She nodded and sighed before shrugging,

"You're right. I have all I need in you, I just need somewhere to call home, I feel like a leaf blowing in the wind anchored only by you."

She slid over to rest her head on my shoulder and her hand on my thigh and closed her eyes.

"I'm so tired Jasper. Tired of having nowhere to just relax, to unpack my bags and put my feet up, cook dinner or pick a book from my own bookcase. Do all the normal little things that everyone else takes for granted."

I kissed the top of her head and put my arm tightly around her.

"You'll have all those things real soon darlin' don't worry."

Bella

I must have fallen asleep because it was the lack of noise of the car engine stopping that made me sit upright and open my eyes. We were parked outside Charlie's in Forks and I looked at Jasper confused.

"I thought you might like to get your things while Charlie is still in hospital. I'll come in with you if you like."

I nodded and got out of the car apprehensively, so many bad memories were associated with it now. I could still hear Charlie his anger as he shouted at me and the crash of splintering wood so I grabbed Jaspers hand and walked up the porch steps lifting the flowerpot on the left hand side to retrieve the spare key. Inside I went straight upstairs, I didn't want to go back into the kitchen, the place Charlie had lost it, I just went into my room and started emptying drawers while Jasper piled up my books and CDs into the coverlet and carried them down to the car. It didn't take long to pack all my things leaving behind the computer Charlie had bought me and the family photographs, they were just too painful. Checking the bathroom I heard voices outside and looked through the window to see Jasper facing Edward both looking strained. I'd had enough of being bullied and of people thinking that Jasper was fair game so I flew down stairs and out to his side.

"What do you want Edward?"

He looked at me and smiled,

"Bella, you look as beautiful as ever. I came to ask you to reconsider."

"What exactly Edward?"

"Rose told me what you'd said to her, she's very upset you know. I think you were a little harsh, after all she didn't hurt anyone, she only acted because she was scared. Its Alice who manipulated everyone. She's the one to blame and she's already dead or so I hear."

"Oh? A little bird told you did it?"

"Emmett actually. I'm surprised he didn't try to protect her, he was always fond of Alice."

"Maybe he saw what she'd done better than you. Just go away Edward and tell Rose that you had no luck changing my mind."

"Oh, I'm not here to plead Roses case I just mention it in passing."

"Then why are you here exactly?"

"To stop you ruining your life, Bella you think you know my brother...".

I cut him off here,

"I've heard enough Edward, get away from me and stay away. I'm warning you, my temper is just about shot."

"Bella listen to me."

"No Edward I'm done listening to you, Rose, and anyone else who thinks they know better than me. I'm ready Jasper."

He nodded and moved to open my door for me while Edward stood irresolute.

"I'd get out of the way Edward before I drive over you."

Jasper got in beside me and started the engine then I remembered I still had the front door key.

"Just a minute."

I ran up the steps and replaced it turning to find Edward close behind me.

"Don't go Bella please! Give me another chance."

"I'm through giving chances Edward, to you or anyone else. But thank you for teaching me a valuable lesson."

"Oh what was that?"

"A pretty face doesn't necessarily mean that what's inside is beautiful too. And be very careful who you give your trust to. Now move."

He stood there so I put an arm out and pushed him using a little of my shield too and he overbalanced falling into the shrubs. I ran back down to the car and a smiling Jasper and he drove off in the direction of Seattle.

"Where are we going?"

"I've no idea, let's get to the airport and pick a destination."

"I like the sound of that, let's go."


	55. Chapter 55

Chapter Fifty Five

Jake

I knew they would come back to the house at some point if only to pick up Bella's things and I was proved right but I was too late to stop them leaving. I saw Edward standing in the road watching the car drive away and stepped out to talk to him.

"I see you had no more luck than me Cullen. She's blown us both off in favour of your brother."

He nodded still looking at the now empty road.

"You know something Jacob you're right. We lost and he won but I think it was our own fault."

"Do you think we'll ever see her again?"

"No, I think we've seen the last of Bella Jacob."

"Is it worth going after her?"

"To do what? Drag her back here to the Res or with me? The first chance she gets she'd be off again, if we don't get killed in the process. No, it's over."

I looked at him and I saw he really believed that. I thought that just maybe she would come back to see Charlie, after all he was all she had left now with Renee dead. I would wait and watch and hope, it was all that was left to me now, along with memories.

Edward

I went back to the house to find Emmett sitting on the front steps head in hands,

"What's up?"

"He looked up at me and scowled before getting up and walking out into the trees so I went inside, I wasn't having any luck with talking to people today. In the lounge Esme was sitting with her arms around Rose who looked extremely unhappy.

"Did you see her Edward?"

"Yes Esme I did but it didn't do any good. She didn't want to talk to me, she and Jasper drove off, he said something about Seattle as they left."

"They're going for good aren't they?"

"Looks like it Rose. What's up with Emmett? He looks like he just broke his computer and someone offered to play hangman with him."

"He and Rose had another row, he said some very hurtful things to her. It's not like Emmett to be so cold and harsh especially with Rose."

"Oh I don't know Esme. After all she did work with Alice and by her own admission she didn't care if Bella died. Emmett likes Bella, a little too much if you ask me, but then its none of my business."

"You're right there Edward,"

I spun round to find Emmett standing behind me, I'd been so busy thinking about Bella and feeling superior to Rose and her little household drama that I'd missed his thoughts but they crashed down on me now.

"I'm sick of your insinuations and holier than thou attitude Edward. You weren't exactly lily-white yourself were you? Who told Charlie where Jazz and Bella were? Good move there by the way, you really screwed things up between her and her dad with that little stunt. You know Jazz said one of the reasons for Alice's actions was to split up the Cullen coven because Caius was scared we would get too powerful and threaten the Volturi. She needn't of bothered because we tore ourselves apart without much provocation. I leaned loyalty and love from Carlisle and Esme but you didn't learn anything Edward did you? Or Rose or Alice. I can't believe the depths you were all prepared to go to destroy an innocent girl for no good reason. I'm sorry Esme but I can't stay, not any longer. I came back to make some kind of peace with Rose but it's just not going to work out. We've talked and talked and she's apologised to me for what she did. She went to see Bella and apologised at my insistence but there's one thing she won't do. She won't admit she was guilty of anything but fear and she always points out that Alice was the bad guy, Alice did the terrible deeds. She did sure, but if Rose had come to any of us about her fears, about Alice's plans we could have done something, worked something out or at least tried but she didn't. She didn't speak to me about it once, she didn't warn me that things were getting out of hand, she didn't tell me she knew what was going on when I rang to tell her I was going looking for Bella. She did nothing and I can't accept that, I believed you and Carlisle when you told me mating was for eternity but you're both wrong. There is something stronger, at least for me, a sense of justice, of what's right and wrong so I'm leaving, permanently this time."

Emmett

I said all I had to say and went upstairs to finish packing, taking the rest of my stuff and leaving behind anything that reminded me too strongly of my life with the Cullens, with Rose. When I came back down Edward was sitting with Esme who looked as if the bottom of her world had just dropped out and I felt sorry for her because she had done all she could once she knew what was going on and still lost her children. She looked up at me and I managed a wan smile,

"Thanks for everything Esme. I'll be in touch."

I ignored Edward and went through to the garage to find Rose sitting on the hood of my truck.

"Emmett please don't do this."

"Goodbye Rose."

She jumped down and walked towards me but I held a hand out to stop her,

"Just get out of my way Rose."

"I'll leave. I'll go to Denali. Its killing Esme all this anger and hatred. Its my fault so I'll go at least that way she gets to keep you and lets face it she's a lot happier with you than she is me these days."

I shook my head,

"I'm sorry about Esme but I can't stay."

"Where will you go? Join Bella and Jasper?"

"I don't know. I haven't thought much about it. Maybe up into the mountains for a while, get away from everyone and have peace to think about where I go from here."

"Will you at least keep in touch with Esme? Please."

"If I do it wont be because you've asked me Rose. Now get out of the way."

She hung her head but stepped aside so I could get to my truck. I threw my bag on the passenger seat then started the engine aware that she was watching me again. As I drove out of the garage she put a hand up whether in farewell or to try to stop me I have no idea but I just kept on driving, away from the family I had once been proud to be a part of and into the mountains and solitude.

Rose

I watched Emmett out of sight, my heart shattered by the terrible truths he had uttered, my world lay in ruins without my beloved mate and all through my own stupidity and spite. I couldn't go back inside to Esme's pain and Edward's complacency but I had nowhere else to go, nowhere I wanted to go except to follow Emmett but I wasn't welcome there. As Carlisle drove up I knew he'd seen Emmett leaving and he came to a stop beside me winding his window down.

"He's left hasn't he?"

"Yes and he's not coming back this time. What am I going to do Carlisle? I can't live without him it hurts too much."

"I'm sorry Rose but I think you're going to have to. Emmett has made his feelings well known and I suspect he's had more to say while I was out. Go back inside Rose. I'll be with you in a few minutes, perhaps we can work something out."

I shook my head watching as he drove the Mercedes into the garage. He couldn't do anything, he'd already tried and I knew he too was disappointed in me. I'd ruined everything and now even Alice was dead so I had no ally there, what was I going to do? I even hated myself, I loathed what I'd become, the very monster I feared I would be seen as if the humans discovered what we were. Well done girl talk about a home goal!


	56. Chapter 56

Chapter Fifty Six

Bella

At the airport I scanned the departure board waiting for a location to call to me with Jasper standing patiently at my side. When I reached the flight for Milwaukee I stopped, it was due to depart in two hours so we were in time to purchase tickets. When I pointed it out to Jasper he smiled and nodded his agreement and we went to book our seats. While we waited to board he bought me coffee and we sat together in a comfortable silence. Neither of us had any need to talk right now, just being together with no threats ahead was enough. As we took our seats for the flight I suddenly felt lighter, as if a huge weight were being lifted from my shoulders. I looked at Jasper but he was gazing out the window our hands clasped tightly as they had been since he drove out of Forks. Sensing my eyes on him he turned back,

"You OK Bella? You seem happier."

"Yes, I'm starting a new life. No more Bella Swan. I left her behind at the airport."

"I see, so who are we now mystery woman?"

"No idea but something will come to me. For now just Bella."

"OK just Bella. What are your plans for us when we reach our destination?"

"I thought we might get a hotel room for a couple of nights, just to relax then start a house hunt. What about you?"

"I thought maybe a week in a hotel, so we can seriously unwind then a spot of house hunting but if you're happy with just a couple of days..."

I was quick to defer to his plan. It sounded much better than mine.

"What about the others? Peter and Charlotte I mean."

"I think you'll find they turn up when they're ready. Peter has a way of knowing these things but as you chose Milwaukee you might like to meet the last of your Musketeers, he's based close by."

That puzzled me, who did he mean?

"Darius" he explained seeing I was mystified, "I think he'd like to meet the girl all the fuss was about and he did supply us the information that enabled Peter and I to find you."

"Then I officially name him Aramis, the missing Musketeer."

During the flight I fell asleep on Jaspers shoulder, being with him was very relaxing and when I woke up shortly before we landed I felt fresh and eager for my new life to begin. While he rented a car I used the rest room to freshen up a little and jumped as my cell phone went off, Jasper had insisted on buying me a new one with a new number that no one but he knew so why was it buzzing? Why was he contacting me? I was only a few feet from him right now. I took it from my pocket to see I'd received a text message so I opened it still baffled,

"Look forward to seeing you and The Major. Darius x"

Underneath was an address. I was still holding the phone when I rejoined Jasper and he looked at it in concern,

"Why are you holding that? I haven't rung you."

"No but your friend left us a message along with his new address."

He took a look at the screen,

"Ah Darius, I should have known he'd have a way of finding your number. Well I guess we'd better head over and say hello. He always has a reason for his messages".

"Shouldn't we get a room first? Somewhere to put our bags?"

"No, I think he means for us to see him first. He doesn't act conventionally Bella but I trust him so if you're ready to start your new adventure, I welcome you to the wacky world of Darius."

We drove for an hour before finding a parking space in walking distance of Darius apartment which was in a semi derelict warehouse,

"Nice neighbourhood".

"But safe Bella. Do you see any druggies or street walkers? Gang members? Anyone to make you nervous?"

I looked around and shook my head,

"All down to Darius. No one messes with him, it's far too dangerous. Come on".

We stepped inside and what a transformation! It was light and carpeted inside the reception areas if unfurnished and an elevator door stood open waiting for us. Once inside I could see there were no buttons to press but the doors slid shut and the elevator moved quickly upwards stopping with a soft hiss as the doors slid open once more. We walked our finding ourselves in a thickly carpeted hallway with four gleaming metal doors.

"Which one?"

I whispered into the silence. As I spoke one of the doors slid open and I saw a figure waiting arms folded, face lit up by a beautiful smile. This was obviously Darius and I stepped forward holding out my hand,

"Aramis I presume?"

His smile got wider,

"And you must be the troublesome human Bella Swan. It's very good to meet you at last. I heard a lot about you and your Musketeers and I'm honoured to be counted amongst their illustrious ranks. Please come in, I've been waiting for you."

We followed him into a huge circular room, the walls full of bookcases, the many desks all illuminated by computer monitors which flickered as their screen savers changed bathing the room in coloured lights.

Jasper

Darius was being very gallant and I wondered who had told him about the Musketeers and Bella. Peter probably which meant unless I was very much mistaken that he wouldn't be far away. Darius took Bella's arm and gave her the guided tour of his lair. I could see she was fascinated by his book collection which I knew would endear her to him. He loved his books and admired anyone who showed an intelligent interest in them. Then I heard the dreaded question,

"How did you damage your leg? I thought vampires were indestructible."

Normally this was the source of ignition for his infamous temper but to my amazement he just laughed.

"Indestructible yes Bella but not fireproof. I was forced to watch as my leg was burned in front of me but luckily The Major appeared before they could get any further and rescued me. I acquired the replacement leg a little later from the bastard, excuse my language please, who had torched mine. Unfortunately its a little shorter hence the limp."

"I'm sorry. It was rude of me to ask."

"Not at all Bella, after all you have a right to know about your gallant Musketeers and I would point out that it doesn't hinder me in a fight, in fact it helps. Everyone assumes I will be slow because of it. Many a fool has died through making that assumption."

She nodded smiling,

"You remind me of Athos."

"You mean Peter Whitlock? Well I suppose it could be worse although I'm not sure quite how. Now let me see, yes he asked me to check what you had heard about Aramis."

"I bet he did and I'm not sure he's going to be so happy when he hears this, Aramis is charming but deadly, a great lover and a great fighter, a man of fascinating contrasts. Handsome, a loner by nature but a faithful friend."

Hearing her words I understood what she meant, Peter was worried that any of the Musketeers might be more handsome than he was and this was going to be a kick in the teeth but she had been right about each one of us.

"Very perceptive Bella, you see more than you appear to. Now I have a little proposition for The Major and yourself so if you make yourself comfortable I will explain."

Bella

I sat beside Jasper on one of the overstuffed leather couches while Darius leaned against one of the many tables pushing the monitor to the back,

"As I say I have spoken to Peter and he tells me that the two of you will be looking for a base while you search for a place of your own. Well it just so happens that as you chose this area I may be able to help. I have a small place, nothing grand, about thirty miles outside Menomonne Falls. Its far enough out into the country that you'll have space to hunt and isolated enough from the neighbours that you can let yourselves go. What do you think?"

I looked at Jasper who winked at me,

"Its down to Bella, this is the beginning of her new life and she's making the decisions".

"So Bella what do you think?"

"It sounds wonderful and it will give us a chance to look around, find somewhere to buy."

"Its yours for as long as you want it. There's an old truck in the garage below which you can use too, I start it up occasionally so I know it runs, you may as well give it a run."

"Thank you. Will you visit once we've settled in?"

"I might, you never know although The Major will tell you I don't get out much but then I don't have many friends to visit so I just might take you up on the invitation, we'll see. You might not like it."

"I'm sure I will, right now a shack would look good, I'm sick of travelling. I want to sit down, kick off my shoes, and just relax."

"Well in that case if you don't have a hotel room booked maybe you'd like to drive straight out there."

It was decided and he took us down in the elevator to the garage where an old truck very similar to the one I had owned stood looking very lonely. As I got closer I recognised it,

"Hey this is my old truck."

"Really? Thinking about it I guess the guy I got it from looked a bit shady. Well in that case you'd better keep it, I'll speak to him for you Bella".

I looked at him suspiciously but he looked so innocent...too innocent in fact as he handed the keys to Jasper,

"Drive safely kids, 'Ill arrange for the rental car to be returned."


	57. Chapter 57

Chapter Fifty Seven

Bella

The drive wasn't too bad, besides I was with Jasper and that was all I needed right now.

"I like Darius. Is that story about his leg true?"

"Yes. I was just sorry I didn't get there sooner but he feels he owes me anyway. If he visits you'll have achieved something no one else has."

"What?"

"Darius never leaves his lair except to hunt. Very few people know of his existence and fewer still have actually met him. He seemed to like you though."

"I feel honoured. So Peter's been in touch with him?"

"I guess so. I think he's probably responsible for the truck being there."

"But how did he know? I only decided on Milwaukee at the last minute. Peter didn't have time to get my truck from wherever it was hidden."

"You'd be surprised what Peter and Darius are capable of when they get together. Your truck was in a lock up in Portland by the way. Emmett told me he'd arranged that, just in case you wanted to keep it."

"I owe Emmett too. I wish I could forgive Rose. That would help him I guess."

"You can only do so much Bella and now its time to think of yourself,"

"Of us you mean."

That beautiful smile lit up his face again and I basked in its warmth, thinking about the future, something I dare not do until now.

"How long do you think it will be before we have visitors?"

"Left up to Peter about twenty-four hours, with Charlotte holding his reins maybe a week."

"Well then we'd better make the most of it because I want you to change me Jasper but I want a little time alone first, just us with the rest of the world outside."

"That's fine by me, you know I'll change you whenever you say but I'm greedy enough to want you all to myself for just a little while, with you warm and soft and human. Is that wrong?"

"No."

When we drew up at Darius cabin in among a stand of trees I fell in love with it, it was just like a fairytale cottage with roses around the door and I half expected the seven dwarfs to come running from the bleached wooden door but everything was quiet and still. The only noise was the bird song and the rustle of the wind in the leaves.

"It's so beautiful"

"Not as beautiful as you Bella."

He came round and opened my door helping me out like I was a queen and he a courtier and we went hand in hand to the front door which opened without a key. Inside I realized that the front had been deceptive, inside it was much larger as it stretched back into the trees hidden from the front. There was a huge log fire waiting ready to be lit and a note propped up against a vase of fresh flowers,

"The larder is full, the water hot, the bed made, and the fire ready to light. Enjoy yourselves you deserve it both of you.

Darius x"

Jasper

This wasn't all Darius work I was sure, he had help and I wouldn't mind betting that if I could see the paperwork the cabin would be in Bella's name. Somehow he had known where she would choose and prepared everything, right down to her truck waiting for us. I wasn't worried about it right now, I had other things on my mind but I would chase it up later. Bella who had dropped my hand to explore came running back her eyes shining with excitement, she had fallen in love with the place.

"There's a deck outside and a picnic basket on it ready. Shall we?"

She led me out and I was content to watch as she helped herself from the contents trying a little of everything and slowly the place began to exert its magic on her. The fatigue dropped from her shoulders and the worry from her face until she looked even more beautiful than when I fell in love with her. We watched the stars for a while, then as it got too cold for her we went inside where I'd lit the fire and we made love on the rug her skin shining in the firelight. It was dawn before she finally fell asleep and I carried her upstairs to the bed tucking her in and kissing her before going out onto deck once more. I sat watching the sun rise for a while then took my phone out to rung Darius.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome Major. You deserve a little happiness, I was just glad to help. Your friends and I had another idea I wanted to run by you."

"Oh yes? Am I going to like it?"

"That depends. I take it you two are getting hitched?"

"I haven't asked her, we haven't had much time for talking about things like that yet."

"But you are going to ask her?"

"Yes."

"And she's going to say yes".

"I..."

Bella's hand stretched over my shoulder and she took the phone from me with a smile,

"Hello there Darius. I love the cabin and yes, I am."

I heard him laugh as she handed the phone back to me,

"That will save you asking. Now I'm going back to bed and I'd like it if you joined me."

I watched her as she went back inside, her naked body kissed by the early sunlight and found myself lost for words.

"I take it we're on then?"

"For what?"

"A wedding Major, just concentrate for a few seconds then you can head back to your lady. Do you trust us to arrange things?"

"Who exactly is us?"

"Your friends of course."

I knew it was out of my control in any case so I gave in gracefully, besides I had other things on my mind again.

Bella

I missed Jazz as soon as he left the room so I followed him down interested in what he was going to do and when I heard this side of the conversation I knew who he was talking to and the subject so I thought I'd just make things easy for him. I'd only just climbed back into bed when he appeared in the doorway grinning,

"So you're accepting my proposal?"

"Of course, I love you. Now come here and show me how much you love me."

He raised an eyebrow in mock horror,

"What happened to my shy little Bella?"

"I left her behind with Swan, don't forget this is..."

"I know, Just Bella but soon to be Bella Whitlock".

"I like the sound of that, Mrs Isabella Whitlock, it has a certain ring to it."

"Speaking of which we shall have to go shopping for a ring."

"Oh I wouldn't be at all surprised if we didn't find one just turn up, your friends have everything else under control."

"Well lets just hope they don't disturb us for the next few hours at least."

Jasper

I don't think we'd have heard if a troop of cavalry came riding through the cabin we were so wrapped up in each other, greedy for all the sensations that went with being mates, in making our bond tighter with each bout of lovemaking until Bella was so tired she could hardly move. She looked into my face and touched my cheek,

"You're thirsty, you need to hunt."

"Well a certain young lady has just about sapped me dry so yes, I should hunt but will you be OK here alone?"

"I think we've dealt with everyone who wanted a piece of me so yes I'll be fine. Now go. I'm going to take a nap then explore the rest of the house."

"You mean the contents of the bookcases."

She shrugged and smiled,

"The sooner you go the sooner you'll be back so go. I have my cell phone, take yours and if I see the enemy approaching I'll ring you."

It was the best I could do but I wouldn't stray too far, in the woods I'd find something to keep me going at least in the short-term.


	58. Chapter 58

Chapter Fifty Eight

Bella

I showered and dressed leisurely feeling happy and safe. I doubted I would get any visitors, or at least any I didn't know, not out here and I had a feeling Jasper wouldn't be straying too far from me. I could feel his presence as a distant echo and I was sure if he'd been a long way off I would have felt him as even more distant in my chest. I made coffee and checked out the contents of the refrigerator but decided to finish off the contents of the picnic hamper so I chose a book and went onto the deck to make myself comfortable. It was warm and peaceful as I finished the egg and mixed leaf salad with my coffee then opened the book and gasped. On the fly-leaf was a black and white photograph of Jasper in his uniform looking exactly as he did today. Looking at the author I had to smile, it said simply Darius. So he wrote books too! He was a man of many talents. As I flicked through the book which was all about the blockade of Galveston I got the feeling I was being watched and looked up expecting to see Jasper but instead a stranger stood at the edge of the trees, another vampire by his pale skin and unearthly beauty. I tensed but he put up a hand in greeting and took a few steps forward so I could see him better. He was as handsome as all the vampires I had met and his smile looked genuine enough and not intimidating.

"Bella I presume. I wont come any closer because I can tell The Major isn't at home. I was curious to see the human who captured a warriors heart."

"You know Jasper?"

"The Major? Yes. Peter and Charlotte and Darius too."

He sank down onto the grass and pulled a tall blade of grass from it proceeding to shred it,

"I understand you've had a spot of bother with Alice and Caius Volturi. I'm only sorry I wasn't around to help out. I'm sure it was a hell of a party."

"You call that a party?"

"Well its relative I guess. The Major and I have been involved in a few skirmishes."

"Were you with Maria?"

"God, no not the Mexican bitch. No I met him after his time with her."

"Were you a soldier in the Civil War too?"

"I was lucky enough to get a little fighting in yes but I cut my teeth in wars a little earlier. I have to admit to being older than the Major. In fact I fought in the war of independence firstly, then I went after Custer, almost got him too but I was beaten to the kill by the Indians. Now that was disappointing."

"Do you live round here?"

"Not exactly. I don't have a permanent home."

"Oh so you're a nomad like Victoria and James?"

"You could say that although I like to think myself a better class of nomad than they were."

Jasper

I felt something was happening back at the cabin so finished draining my elk as quickly as I could and ran back only relaxing when I heard the voice of Bella's guest. She amazed me, despite her interaction with James and Victoria she was chatting to Garrett as if he were a friendly neighbour. When she saw me she smiled and Garrett got up and walked forward hand out to greet me. We both knew he had kept his distance from Bella for his own safety as much as hers. If I had perceived him as a threat I would have attacked and getting too close to my mate would have been seen as just such a threat,

"So Bella, what exactly has the old reprobate told you? More tales of his exploits against Custer? How he won the War of Independence single-handed?"

"Less of the old, young whipper snapper or I'll be forced to put you over my aged knee."

"Bella listened to our words with a long-suffering look and I knew she was reminded of Peter and myself, Garrett was very similar in temperament to Peter and when they got together, it was sheer hell. I wondered if Peter had sent him along to watch out for Bella or if this was another of Darius acts.

"So where are the others or am I the first?"

"Others? First? Would you like to tell me what exactly is going on here?"

Garrett grinned and shook his head,

"No I think I'll let you stew for a while. I'm going now, I have a couple of errands to run but I'll be back soon so if you're going for another romp don't make it too long or you might get caught with your pants down. Oh by the way I'm supposed to give you this."

He handed me a small box then turned back to Bella,

"See you later pretty lady."

He bowed gracefully which I could see impressed Bella and disappeared back into the trees.

Bella

I liked Garrett, he reminded me of Peter only a little less corrosive but I could see he kept his distance from Jasper.

"Is he scared of you or are you friends?"

"A little of both Bella. We are all very careful around newly mated couples, they tend to be rather possessive."

"Me too?"

"Well we'll see when the girls arrive which I think is on the cards according to Garrett's words."

"Did you find something for dinner?"

"Yes thank you. Did you?"

"Yes I finished off the picnic, I found this too."

She held out the book so I could see the photograph and I groaned,

"That's Darius book isn't it? Don't bother reading it, according to him I was a one man army, it's all fiction pure and simple."

She smiled,

"You're my one man army Jazz."

And she drew me into her arms,

"Are you going to open the box?"

He nodded and slowly took the lid off to reveal a solitaire diamond in the shape of a heart. He took it out and smiled,

"Well it looks like our friends are determined we stay together so,"

He knelt in front of me,

"Bella, will you marry me and make me the happiest man in the world?"

I nodded and he slipped the ring on my finger, it didn't surprise me when I found it fit perfectly.

Jasper

As we kissed I heard footsteps in the distance and groaned,

"I think we have more company Bella."

"Really? Who?"

"I'm not sure but it sounds like three people to me."

She kissed my throat and whispered huskily,

"I will get you to myself for longer than a night eventually."

Peters insane cackle accompanied Bella's words and he burst through the trees close to where Garrett had disappeared stopping to sniff the air and breaking into a huge grin.

"Garrett, good I haven't seen him in a while. So hows it hanging Major, Oh hang on, maybe that's the wrong thing to say. I mean one hopes the old rapier isn't bent and rusty just yet."


	59. Chapter 59

Chapter Fifty Nine

Jasper

Charlotte came up behind him carrying a huge box and dropping it proceeded to hit him around the ear.

"What?"

"Mind your manners Peter Whitlock."

"Hey Bella knows me, and by the way Bella my rapier is always ready for a little penetrative work, I'm more than happy to oblige."

He ducked Charlotte's next blow and ran to hide behind Bella who giggled at his antics, Great! That would only encourage him and Peter needed no encouragement that was for sure. Charlotte walked to Bella and took her arm,

"Come with me Bella, we have work to do, oh by the way this..."

She gestured to the young woman at her side,

"Is Cathy, she's been helping us."

I looked inquiringly at Peter but he just grinned and shrugged his shoulders

"You know I don't have the faintest idea of the way a woman's mind works. Like me you'll have to wait and see Major."

Bella

I followed Charlotte and Cathy back into the cabin eager to find out exactly what was going on and I wasn't kept waiting long as Charlotte opened the huge box and pulled out a dress, but not just any dress. This was cream silk with a really full skirt and figure hugging bodice. Around the bottom were pale pink roses made of ribbon and on the bodice tiny pink seed pearls were stitched into the same rose design.

"It's beautiful Charlotte."

"I'm glad you like it, now all we have to do is make sure it fits you."

"Me?"

"Well yes, I assume you intend getting married wearing something."

"Married?"

"Bella stop repeating everything I say, you sound like a tame parrot!. I know this is a bit of a shock but as you don't have any family so to speak Peter and I along with your other friends have organised things for you. I hope you don't mind, its your wedding present. After all you've been through we thought you'd like someone else to sort out all the details."

Tears filled my eyes as I heard her words. Our friends were going to arrange everything?

"Now before you start blubbering we need to explain a few things to you. Cathy here has been giving you a little nudge now and again, that's how we knew what was going to happen, how you were going to choose Milwaukee. She has a gift but she doesn't brag about it so remember it's a secret. It takes a lot out of her so she only does it for very special people like you and Jazz."

"That's how Darius knew we were coming? And how my truck got here?"

"I hope you aren't cross with me Bella? I wouldn't normally do anything like that, I just suggest nomads stay away from my area or send the Volturi in the other direction, I don't normally use it on a friend or friend of a friend but they promised me it would be OK this time."

I smiled at her,

"How could I be upset when you sent us to such a beautiful place? Did Darius already own this place or did he buy it especially?"

"Ah well, I think you need to talk to him about that. For now, you need to try on the dress, Charlotte made it specially for you."

Jasper

Once the girls had disappeared inside Peter turned to me,

"Right Major. Knowing how fucking useless you are with anything other than fighting we thought we'd take charge of your wedding. It's all under control, all you have to do is stand there and say all the right things at the right time. Everything else is under control."

"I see, and just when did you intend to have this wedding?"

"Well I knew you'd need a couple of days to get your head round everything so we thought the weekend."

"And who exactly is going to perform this ceremony?"

Warning bells were ringing loudly in my ears but then with relief I thought I understood Garrett's sudden appearance,

"Don't tell me, Garrett got himself certified?"

"Well he's been certifiable for years but if you mean to perform a wedding then yes he bravely took on that challenge, I did offer my services but for some reason I wasn't take up on it."

"I wonder why that was! Who is coming by the way or is that a secret too?"

"No, Esme and Carlisle, Darius of course, he can't wait to see you finally hitched properly, oh yeah Emmett's coming in but of course he has to in any case."

"Has to?"

"Well you can't get married without your fellow Musketeers now can you? Fuck me all this sex has addled your brain. Oh yeah, I had a message from Felix. He heard somehow and sends his congratulations. He's going back to Volterra soon, can't cope in the human world on his own so he'll let the Volturi brothers know you're hitched and that Bella is going to be changed soon. She is I take it?"

"Yes she's asked me so I think after the honeymoon."

"Ah talking about that. Carlisle offered you Isle Esme for a month. I wasn't sure you'd want to accept so you have a choice. Our place in Colorado or Isle Esme, choice is yours but I know which one I'd choose."

"I'll speak to Bella about it and get back to you Peter."

I turned to go to find her but he grabbed my arm.

"No peeking Major. The girls will be a couple of hours so you come with us, show me how you wrestle all these dangerous animals to the ground and feed. Sounds fucking stupid to me but there's no accounting for taste."

Bella

I was overwhelmed by the kindness and thought that had gone into all the arrangements when Charlotte explained how Darius and she had put their heads together.

"But why would Darius bother about me? He didn't even know me until a couple of days ago."

"Darius feels that he owes The Major and like us he's over the moon to know he's found his mate at last. Jasper was with Alice quite a while but we all knew they weren't right for each other. She manipulated him but he never saw it he was so happy to have someone who cared for him without an agenda, or so he thought. Now he really has found the one we want to show him that we all approve."

The next couple of days went by in a haze of dress fittings, and more importantly trying to find just the right vows. No one would tell me who was officiating at the ceremony and I had visions of Peter standing there complete with dog collar and bible in hand. What he might come out with terrified me but much as I begged and pleaded no one would put me out of my misery. Jasper was monopolized by Peter and Garrett most of the time but the nights were mine. Everyone was shooed out to do whatever they did at night, hunt or anything, as long as they left us alone I didn't care. In his arms I forgot all my worries and cares and just enjoyed the sensations his body gave mine. He was like a drug I could never get enough of but I did wonder if he was getting as much from it as I was. All the time I was aware he was being careful to move slowly, not hold me too tightly because I knew he could kill me with a thoughtless movement or gesture which meant a part of his brain must be constantly alert and aware unable to let go completely. I vowed to myself once we were married I would ask him to change me so we could be completely abandoned with each other. As I lay in his arms the first night he told me of the two offers for a honeymoon destination.

"I'll leave it to you to choose darlin' As long as we're together I don't mind where we are."

To my mind there was no contest. Much as I appreciated Carlisle's offer of a honeymoon paradise island it wasn't really me or Jasper. We didn't need the hot sun or tropical surroundings and it meant a long journey which I was loathe to take. Once married I wanted us together alone as soon as possible! I wondered if Jasper might be surprised or shocked by my choice but he just smiled and pulled me closer.

"Somehow I thought that might be your choice."

"And you're not disappointed?"

"No, I think Colorado will be fine and I'm sure Carlisle will understand. If he doesn't then Peter will be only too pleased to explain."

I groaned at the thought of that.

"I really don't want to upset Carlisle, I think I'll explain myself."

He laughed at that then took my mind...and my body away to somewhere far more interesting.


	60. Chapter 60

Chapter Sixty

Bella

The night before our wedding the girls insisted the guys went to hunt, in other words go away and don't come back until morning. The ceremony was set for mid morning in the clearing at the front of the cabin and the guys had already made a wooden arch which Charlotte and Cathy had covered in wild flowers. It looked so natural and so beautiful it almost made me cry. We spent the evening by the log fire chatting about Charlotte's wedding to Peter which had been a Las Vegas wedding chapel affair. The thought of it horrified me but I could see how it would suit Peters flamboyant character. When there was a knock on the door mid evening I was the only one startled and Cathy went to answer it while Charlotte filled my wine glass with a low alcohol wine, I wasn't going to have a thick head on my wedding day, no sir! I heard Cathy come back and turned to see Esme standing in the doorway a little unsure of herself so I went to her and hugged her in pleasured surprise.

"Esme, I'm so glad to see you. Thank you for coming."

"I'm glad to be here Bella. I take it everything is already sorted but I do have something for you, something old. Here,"

She handed me a small parcel and inside was a delicate lace shawl, white with pale pink roses embroidered on it. It was so fragile it seemed to be made of spiders silk.

My grandmother made it for my mother when she got married and I wore it when I got married as a human, I thought as we see you as a daughter you wouldn't mind my giving it to you. You can keep it folded in your flower posy if you don't want to wear it. I don't mind, it's just a little token of acceptance into the family...well Carlisle and I anyway."

She took me to one side to talk quietly,

"Bella have you seen Emmett or heard from him? I don't want to spoil things, I just wondered, we were hoping he might be here."

"No we haven't seen him, isn't he with Rose? That's where he was going."

"No, he and Rose had a terrible row and he left. I don't think he's coming back either."

"What's Rose doing?"

"We've no idea. She stayed about a week after he left then she disappeared too. She took just one bag with her and we haven't seen or heard anything since. She was devastated by Emmett's departure."

"I'm sorry they couldn't work it out Esme but its all her own fault."

"I know Bella, I just hate to see two people who were so much in love and so perfect for each other split up the way they did. I really thought mates were for eternity but they showed me I was wrong. You can never take anything for granted, not even in our world. Anyway now should be a happy time so lets talk about your plans for the future.

Will you be coming back to Forks at all? You know you are always welcome."

"I don't think so Esme. Perhaps you could visit us instead once we get settled."

She smiled and we went back to the others who were busy finishing the flower garlands for the chairs although why we were bothering with so many little touches when it was only going to be the few of us I didn't know but they were happy making our day special and I was just happy to be marrying Jasper, the love of my life.

By midnight I was flagging badly and Esme shooed me up to bed, my first night alone since we got here and I hoped my last. The bed felt cold and vast without Jasper by my side and I curled into a ball, closing my eyes and thinking about everything that had happened since I moved to Forks. My whole life had been turned around but I couldn't be happier. I felt a little guilty about Charlie but I couldn't bring myself to think I'd done wrong. By leaving as I did he would continue his life with his friends, no suspicion that they were anything other than they seemed on the surface.

Jasper

I went out with Peter and Garrett, not really thirsty but because there was nothing else for me to do. I was barred under pain of dismemberment from visiting Bella so we ran and hunted some deer but of course I was the only one to feed. Then we found a small clearing and sat talking as the moon rose high above us.

"So are you going to tell me what the hell is going on tomorrow?"

"Nah, we thought we'd let you sweat a bit first."

Before he could say any more we heard footsteps and Carlisle came into the clearing followed by Darius of all people.

"Fuck me, look what the cat dragged in. Darius how the hell did Carlisle get you here?"

"I got him here actually Peter. I thought we might as well travel together seeing as I'm master of ceremonies tomorrow."

"You are?"

"Don't sound so shocked Major. Garrett might be marrying you two but the organisation is down to me. Left up to Peter it would be a very bad Elvis impersonator singing "It's now or never" and you wouldn't like that now would you?"

They sat down with us and I was finally let in on the secret, I knew as soon as I heard it that Bella would be delighted,

"I'm getting mighty suspicious of you Darius, you seem to know an awful lot about my mate!

"I just listened to Peter and Charlotte. Well mainly Charlotte, and did a little digging of my own. We thought she might like Carlisle to walk her down the aisle if our other Musketeer doesn't turn up."

"But you are expecting him?"

"Yes and I doubt he'll let his little sister down Major."

Carlisle took me to one side while the others were chatting to explain what had happened with Emmett and Rose. I felt sorry for my brother because I knew how devoted to Rose he had been but I also knew he was deeply honourable and it was the struggle between these two that had seemingly broken his mating bond.

"Do you think there's any possibility of him changing his mind Carlisle?"

"I doubt it Jasper. He felt very strongly about Roses treachery. She's gone too now and we have no idea where but she was so unhappy I fear she might do something silly."

"I'm not so sure it would be silly Carlisle. If she still feels the same way about Emmett and knows he will never come back to her then she might not be able to stand the pain of separation."

"Well, I hope she contacts us, we'll try to help her all we can. I'll try to speak to Emmett too but not until after the ceremony, tomorrow is your day, yours and Bella's and we are very happy for you both."

"Where's Edward?"

"He's still in Forks but I think he may be planning to leave us too. I know he's been in contact with Eleazer but whether he will go there or to Italy I don't know. If he does then I guess Caius wins."

"I hope he decides on Alaska for your sake Carlisle, yours and Esme's."


	61. Chapter 61

Chapter Sixty One

Bella

When I woke up the sun was shining and the birds singing and when I looked out of the window I could see the others busy in the front then Esme came in with a breakfast tray and a smile.

"Well Bella how are you feeling?"

"Nervous, excited, and just a little terrified of the thought of Peter organising things."

"I know what you mean but I rather think that Darius took over from him so you should be OK."

"Esme who is going to officiate? Please tell me it's not Peter or I'm going to run away now."

"No, that honour goes to Garrett, he took a course especially for the occasion. I think all Jaspers friends wanted to get in on the act. He doesn't have many but the ones he does have are very loyal. Now eat up then get showered, Cathy is waiting to do your hair and you only have two hours."

I almost panicked but took some deep breaths and managed a few mouthfuls of cereal and a glass of orange juice before Esme would let me shower. As I stood under the water I could hardly believe I was getting married this morning and to the man of my dreams, my very own Musketeer. It did cross my mind that Edward might turn up but I was praying he wouldn't, I didn't want anything to mar my most special of days.

When I got back to my bedroom the dress was hanging on the closet door along with the shawl and a pair of low heeled cream strappy sandals which was a relief, At least I wouldn't fall flat on my face! I turned as Cathy came in followed by Charlotte,

"I don't know who is going to walk me down the aisle Charlotte. Its not...Peter's not...is he?"

She laughed at my stricken look and shook her head,

"No, we leashed him for the occasion Bella, please don't get yourself into a state. Now sit down and relax. Cathy's going to do your hair and Esme will help you with your make up then we'll get you dressed."

I sat as still as I could but I was so excited it was difficult, now I knew Peter wasn't going to be involved in the things that could go so wrong for me I felt less tense.

"Is Jasper back?"

"Yes Bella they're all here, now keep still or you're going to end up looking like Coco the clown."

I clenched my fists and kept as still as possible, I hated all this fuss but I wanted to look my best for my special day.

Jasper

When I saw my wedding suit I groaned loudly,

"Don't tell me, Peter's idea."

Darius laughed

"Well we had to let him arrange something and knowing how he gets carried away we thought letting him loose on Bella wasn't a good idea so you drew the short straw."

"I'm going to kill him, you know that?"

"Get married first, kill him later. You about ready? Here's the ring, remember your vows and everything will go smoothly. Garrett and Peter have got the truck ready for you to leave as soon as you're ready and Esme has made up a picnic hamper for Bella, for the journey."

I nodded still looking at the outfit, Darius was right about not letting him loose on the arrangements for Bella!

"Hey it looks like the missing Musketeer just arrived."

Peter came in accompanied by Emmett who looked a shadow of his former self, he may have left Rose behind physically but she was still in his heart and that was killing him. He made the effort to smile until he saw the outfit then he turned to look at Peter,

"If you think I'm putting that on you are very much mistaken Peter."

"Hey its Bella's wedding, besides you wont be alone now stop complaining and get changed, we don't have much time, you cut it fine as it is."

Emmett looked at me and I shrugged, I knew it was useless to argue, besides I thought Bella might get a kick out of it and I would do anything to make her happy.

Bella

When I looked at myself in the mirror it was a stranger I saw looking back, a beautiful dark-haired creature from another time. The dress looked even better than I had dreamed it would and with the shawl covering my head and shoulders I belonged in another age, an age of gallantry and romance. Esme popped her head round the door,

"You ready Bella?"

I nodded, my eyes sparkling with tears of wonder,

"Who's walking me down the aisle Esme?"

I think that honour would be mine"

The figure that walked into the room was a stranger until he swept his hat from his head and bowed low,

"Emmett"

I ran to him and hugged him tightly almost crushing the tall feather in his hat. Then I stepped back and examined him,

"Musketeer uniform?"

He grinned and touched his side,

"Complete with sword my lady. Just in case any rogue tries to steal you away."

He held out his arm and I took it wrapping my own around his huge biceps and he escorted me down the stairs and out into the sunshine.

Our group wasn't large but it consisted of everyone who mattered in our lives, all those who had helped free me and keep me safe for Jasper, Jasper who stood waiting with a huge smile on his face, his hat under his arm. Darius and Peter stood either side of the small raised platform where Garrett stood waiting for us to stand before him and say our vows. I had never really thought about my own wedding like some girls did but I knew I couldn't have imagined this even in my wildest fantasy but it was so right, for me, for Jasper and for all our friends. Emmett handed me to Jasper then stepped back a few paces and Jasper looked into my face,

"You are so beautiful Bella and now you are going to be mine for eternity."

Garrett called our attention to him and the ceremony began with soft music playing in the background. I glanced round to see it was Cathy playing a keyboard, a tune I'd never heard but it seemed to fit the era we were in just now, the time of the Musketeers and their exploits.

Our vows to each other were simple but heartfelt, first Jasper took both my hands in his and recited some poetry which had the tears falling once more as I felt the sincerity in them.

Away from you there is no music,

There is no sunlight,

The world is gray.

Away from you

The clocks are frozen,

And time's a traveller

Who's lost his way.

I'm half alive

Until the moment

The door swings open

and you walk through,

Now my soul is afloat

On a melody of music

That I could feel such joy

I never knew.

And so you see

Why I can never be

Away from you.

Then it was time to speak of our commitment to each other before our assembled friends.

Jasper

Into your hands I put my trust.

Into your heart I give my love.

Into your soul I offer my spirit.

Into your mind my words are free.

Bella

With all of your love I know am yours.

With all of your words, I know I'm secure.

With all of your kindness, at last I can give.

With all of your gentleness, I too can be there.

Together.

I give you my heart, you give me your spirit.

I give you my soul, you give me your body.

I give you my love, you give me your love.

I give you my all, you give me freedom.

When Garrett pronounced us man and wife I couldn't help the tears of happiness trickling down my cheeks but Jasper wiped them away with his fingertips and kissed me very sweetly and gently then we were surrounded by the others all eager to congratulate us. Emmett stood back just a little and I could see that for all his brave front he was hurting, badly. After Jasper and I had danced or at least he had danced, I had been swept almost from my feet so I couldn't trip over and no one could see with my long dress on, I went over to his side while my new husband danced with Esme.

"I'm sorry Emmett. This must be very difficult for you. Have you spoken to Rose?"

He shook his head looking into the distance,

"What do I say Bella? How can I forgive what she did?"

"But you're so unhappy Emmett, I know what I said to her but if she's your mate Emmett can you live without her?"

"Can I live with her Bella?"

I thought about Jasper and how I would cope if I lost him,

"Emmett, I don't think you can afford not to try. I think you must find her, give her another chance. Promise her as long as she is honest about her fears you will never let anything hurt her."

He nodded,

"Maybe you're right Bella. I just don't know."


	62. Chapter 62

Chapter Sixty Two

Bella

I really hoped Emmett would find Rose and make peace with her, he looked so wretched and unhappy now. I watched as he said his goodbyes and left then turned to find Esme standing beside me,

"Thank you for that Bella, it was very kind of you."

"I don't have any quarrel with Emmett only Rose and I don't want to see him destroyed for her actions. I'm sure she'd never do anything like it again and I guess now I'm happy and safe I want him to be too."

There was a tap on my shoulder and cool lips on my neck,

"Dance with me beautiful?"

I turned into my husbands arms and we danced again, on and on until Charlotte insisted I got changed to leave for their place. As I went upstairs with her I saw Peter standing alone and asked for a minute.

"Peter"

He looked up at me smiling,

"Well if it isn't the beautiful bride. Fed up with The Major already? Or did you want me to give him a few pointers?"

I leaned in and kissed his cheek,

"I just wanted to say thank you for everything. For being a good friend and for making our day so wonderful. So, thank you Athos."

He straightened up the smile leaving his face,

"Talking of which I have a bone to pick with you. Aramis told me what you'd said about him. You promised me I was the most handsome Musketeer, what the fuck happened?"

"She's got a thing about a man with a limp that's all Athos. We all know you are the fairest of us all."

Darius leaned around me and planted a noisy kiss on Peters cheek which caused him to roar in disapproval and the next thing I knew I was pushed backwards so Peter could chase his "attacker" from the room. Charlotte laughed and took my hand,

"Come on before they kill each other."

Jasper

There was a loud howl of outrage and Darius exploded from the cabin with Peter hard on his heels making surprisingly fast for the trees and disappearing from view watched by a stunned audience. We looked at each other shrugging and working on the theory that all would be revealed eventually. However Bella was soon back distracting us from our musings, no longer wearing her beautiful gown but just as lovely and ready to leave with me. We drove off with the shouts of the others loud in our ears and as we turned onto the main road we saw Peter suspended by one foot from a tall tree waving frantically while Darius, who was doing the holding, also waved then threw Bella a kiss before opening his hand and allowing Peter to fall heavily to the ground. Bella gasped but I just smiled at her,

"Dropping Peter on his head is the most sensible thing really, you can't damage what isn't there."

"He'll be OK though?"

"Yes. He's probably plotting his revenge right now. So Mrs Whitlock, you ready to start your adventure?"

"Yes an adventure I hope will never end Jasper. You will change me soon?"

"When you say the word but perhaps a few days as man and wife first?"

She scooted over to join me and lay a warm hand on my thigh causing an immediate reaction, one she could hardly fail to notice and she didn't. Instead with a grin she started to stroke her hand up and down my thigh getting higher each time until I could bear it no longer. I pulled into a picnic area, the darkness broken only by the headlights and turned the engine off. Bella looked around,

"I don't see a cabin"

"Come with me"

I took her hand and led her to a grassed area at the back of the picnic area then pulled her down onto the ground and undressed her hurriedly unable to control myself any longer. As I entered her she cried out and pulled me closer, her fingernails scraping against my stone skin trying to dig in and her teeth grazing my throat. I controlled myself just enough to make sure she came first but then my own orgasm overtook me and I allowed myself to ride it leaving the smallest part I could to keep myself in check enough to ensure her safety but it was a very close thing. I found myself with my own teeth brushing her delicate skin right over a main blood vessel, my mouth flooded with venom and the beast inside roaring to taste her blood.

Bella

I knew how close Jasper had just come to losing control totally and I knew he would never have forgiven himself. I wanted all of him and I knew it would always be like this while I was a vulnerable human full of appetising blood that tortured him.

"Change me Jasper. Now, so we can lose ourselves in each other. This is how I want it to happen, make love to me again but let go, change me please."

He lifted himself onto his arms and looked down at me his eyes dark with mixed lust and thirst.

"Bella I'm not sure I can control myself well enough feeling like this."

"You will Jazz, you could never hurt me. I trust you, please."

He closed his eyes and I knew he was testing himself, seeing if he had enough control left to do it then he opened them and nodded,

"If it's what you want Bella, are you sure? You'll lose the next few days but I'll never leave your side I promise you. It will be a few hours before we get to Peters, can you wait that long? Only I can't drive and keep you under control."

I nodded and pulled my rumpled clothes back on so we could continue our drive. I slept for a lot of the journey my head in Jaspers lap and his hand on my cheek. This was bliss and soon it would never end, not ever.

Jasper

As we drove I went over and over in my head exactly how I would do it, I must keep enough control that I didn't drain Bella, just pump her full of my venom but I knew I could do it. The hardest part would be watching her go through the agony but I would help her with that too. My beautiful wife wouldn't feel any more than she absolutely had too. If I had to bear the full brunt of transformation then I would. I text Peter to tell him of my plans and ask that he take up station close enough to the house to protect us while I was unable to. His reply was the single word,

"Understood."

My most trusted friend would do all that was necessary to keep us both safe.


	63. Chapter 63

**Sorry folks I'll be away for a week from tomorrow so posting will be a little sporadic but I promise to do my best and of course I'll keep writing! Please keep the reviews coming so I know how I'm doing. Jules x**

Chapter Sixty Three

Bella

As I burned I held on to the memory of my wonderful wedding and the drive to Peters place. My poor truck had been decorated until not a single inch of red was showing with ribbons, balloons, tin cabs, foam of some kind and neon spray paint in pink and white, he was making sure no one we passed on the road would be in any doubt we were newly weds. Their house was also full of ribbons and balloons, especially the bedroom! We had the most wonderful time that night making love over and over until I knew it was time,

"Jasper will you change me now please"

"Yes, just hold on to the thought that I'm doing it so we can be together for eternity."

"I will, am I going to be out of control for long?"

"No, only a couple of years at the most and I'll look after you so don't worry."

"I'm not worried about that, just the thought of not being me. Will I still recognise you? Love you like I do now or will that have to wait until I calm down?"

"You'll still recognise me darlin' its just that your thirst will be the most important thing."

"You're wrong you know. You will always be the most important thing in my life."

He smiled and touched my face,

"Whatever happens we will be together for eternity, just remember that."

I did hold that thought, I could feel his presence, hear his gasps of agony as he helped me with the terrible suffering, I just couldn't try to comfort him for fear of losing the little of me that still existed within the flames. As the flames burned hotter and my body fell to ash I thought about our friends and all that happened to me, all they had been through, willing to die to keep me safe. I knew that when I woke, when this torture was finally over and I opened my eyes to my new life they would be there, ready to help Jasper when he needed it. I wanted a haven of peace and I hoped we could find somewhere for ourselves like Darius cabin, a fairytale of our very own.

Emmett

When I left shortly before Jazz and Bella I had come to a decision, one Bella had helped me make much more than Carlisle and Esme who didn't really understand what I was going through. They had tried to convince me that I'd been wrong to walk away without giving it at least a try again. They really didn't understand how much Rose's actions had hurt me, that she didn't trust me enough to tell me, that she didn't think I would keep her safe whatever happened. I would have walked into the fires of hell for her, I had loved her that much, I still did. Bella was right, I couldn't live without her, she was the air that I breathed, the sustenance I needed to keep existing. I had no idea where she had gone but something told me she hadn't moved far from Forks as if she were held there until her life ended, in a kind of stasis so I headed back there without telling anyone. If I didn't find her or I was too late then my own death would soon follow, the pain was just too great. Once in Forks I waited for something to give me a clue where to go next and it did, I was nudged towards the Olympus mountain range, the same place I had run too when I left her. Had she followed me hoping to find me when I'd cooled down? I ran higher and higher into the mountains being drawn on by a feeling in my chest and then I saw her, sitting on a boulder, her hair whipped by the wind and her clothes torn and ragged. When she heard me she turned and her eyes opened wide with shock.

"Emmett? Is it really you? I've been praying you'd come back to me. I know I was wrong, I know what I did was unforgivable but could you try please?"

I stood looking at her, she was suffering I could see that, but I thought there was more to it than just that, then it dawned on me.

"You tried to kill yourself!"

She nodded,

"I threw myself off the cliff but my body just repaired itself. I tried starving myself but instinct took over and I couldn't help myself. I can't live without you Emmett but I can't find a way to end it except fire."

She glanced to her side and I saw she'd prepared a huge pile of branches and twigs and my fists clenched,

"No Rose. You can't really be thinking of doing that."

"Well I decided it couldn't be any more painful than living without you and that was unbearable. Fire would be quicker."

I shook my head and opened my arms,

"Bella was right, she said I couldn't live without you."

"Bella did?"

"Yes, she told me to find you and make my peace."

"Then I owe her even more than I thought"

She ran to me and as my arms closed around her I felt whole once more. It wouldn't be easy but we would work things out eventually and stay together where we were meant to be.

Bella

The fire peaked then suddenly it was gone, there was nothing, no heat, no heartbeat, no sound of breathing, and I knew it was finally over. I waited a few seconds tasting the air and mapping the room with my combined vampire senses. I had been correct, Jasper was here but so were others, others I recognised although I hadn't been aware I had been cataloguing their scents as a human. Peter and Charlotte were by the window, Jasper at my side and there was another...Darius...close to the door. I opened my eyes to a strange new world of overwhelming sensations, I could see dust motes in the air, hear insects scurrying around outside and scent my mate. I turned my head to look at him with new eyes, he was even more beautiful although I could now see the terrible scars he wore. They tattooed his skin, on his throat and jaw line and I knew they would continue further down his body but none of that mattered, he was mine, my mate, the most wonderful creature on the planet. He hesitated and I understood why, I should have been a raging newborn, ready to fight everyone and crazed for blood but I didn't feel like that. I had the burn in my throat that was a signal I was thirsty but my overwhelming urge was to be in my mates arms and as I thought this my body took over and I found myself already there, his face close to my own, his breath calming me as did his scent and the sensation of his strong arms around me. I kissed him and the feel of his lips on mine was almost more than I could take, it left me wanting more, much more, but I controlled myself with difficulty as I heard Peter laugh.

"Fuck me I knew it. I told you she'd surprise us all. Way to go Bella. You were never going to be a typical newborn. Cough up Aramis."

He held out his hand and I understood they had bet on how crazy I would be when I woke up to this life. Darius shrugged and handed over a dollar bill.

"Only a dollar? Is that all I'm worth?"

I was scandalized.

"Well come on Bella, money means nothing to us its the principal of the thing. I knew you'd surprise us all. Didn't I tell you that Aramis?"

"You surely did Athos, I should know better than to bet with you. You'd have thought I'd learned by now. Anyway, hello Bella Whitlock, you are looking very good, How do you feel?"

I thought about this for a second, then grinned,

"Thirsty."

"I'm sure The Major will take you to hunt soon. I just wanted to see you and give you this..."

He held out a hand with an envelope in it which I took with great care not wanting anyone to think I was attacking. I opened the envelope slowly thinking about every move I made because I knew instinctively I could rip the paper so easily if not. Taking out the thick document inside I read it quickly and my smile got bigger.

"The cabin is mine? Ours?"

"A belated wedding present. Enjoy it. I have to go now, I have several clients waiting for my help. I hope we meet again soon Bella."

I watched as he left then turned to Peter who shook his head,

"You didn't even tell him what you were thirsty for because its my guess it isn't blood, well not exclusively."

I smiled and stuck my tongue out then wound myself around my mates body,

"Peter, I think we should leave them now. We've seen you were right and as soon as Bella has all her thirsts under control 'I'm sure she'll invite us formally to visit."

She winked at me and dragged Peter out protesting loudly and leaving us alone.

"So my Bella amazes everyone again, I love you Mrs Whitlock."

We kissed and I knew I needed him more than blood or anything else so with a sigh I pulled him back onto the bed with me,

"Now you can let go completely and show me just how different sex is when you are a vampire."

And he did!


	64. Chapter 64

Chapter Sixty Four

Charlie

It was several weeks after Bella left that I finally got out of the hospital and even then I was on crutches and would be for some time. They found that not only did I have broken ribs but some spinal damage too. Harry picked me up and took me back to his place, I couldn't cope on my own yet.

"Have you heard anything from Bella?"

He shook his head,

"No Charlie. She went to the house and collected her stuff, or all that she wanted. Sue tidied up and left the other bits out on the table for you. We check the house every few days and this was waiting when Jake checked it yesterday."

I took the envelope from him recognising Bella's handwriting on the front. Inside was a single sheet of writing paper.

"Dad,

Jasper and I got married a couple of weeks ago. I thought you'd like to know. I hope you are out of hospital now and on the mend. I guess you'll probably be at the Res for a while.

Take care Bella. x"

There was no return address and I looked at the front of the envelope which had a Seattle postmark but I doubted she had been the one to post it, so I guess she didn't want me to know where she was.

I put it on the table,

"Its Bella, she's married the Cullen boy. Are they still around? I didn't see Carlisle at the hospital."

"He's still in Forks but only working at the clinic now."

I nodded, maybe he could tell me where my daughter was, I'd feel happier if I could at least talk to her.

Jake

I'd already accepted Bella wasn't ever coming back before I saw Charlie's letter but it still hurt, my only consolation was that Edward Cullen hadn't got her either but he might know where she was or Carlisle would so when Charlie asked me if I'd drive him to the clinic to see Dr Cullen I agreed quite happily. We went to the house first and inside he saw the pile of photographs and laptop he'd bought for Bella on the kitchen table where Bella had left them for him. I could see it hurt Charlie but for now I was more interested in her whereabouts. We picked up a few things Charlie wanted, including the photographs then drove on to Port Angeles and parked up in the clinic lot. I grabbed Charlie's crutches for him and we went in to find Carlisle. We were in luck, he was in his office and he agreed to see us so a nurse ushered us through. He met us at the door and helped Charlie to a chair before sitting down himself,

"So Charlie, how can I help you? It's good to see you on your feet again."

"I had a letter from Bella. She told me she'd got married to your son Jasper."

"Yes she said she'd write to you."

"Were you there? At the wedding?"

"Yes Esme and I both attended. It was a very small informal affair."

"Where is she Carlisle?"

"She didn't give you an address I take it?"

"If she had I wouldn't be here asking you would I?"

"Then I can't help you. She asked me not to give her address to anyone."

"Do you have a phone number? I just want to talk to her."

"I can contact her and see if she'll talk to you but I can't give you hers she..."

"Yeah, yeah, she told you not to give it to anyone, I know. I am her father Carlisle,"

"I'm very sorry Charlie but it's not my decision."

"This is bull shit Cullen. Bella's his daughter and he has every right to speak to her."

Charlie looked at me gratefully but Carlisle just shook his head,

"Bella made her wishes perfectly clear Jake and I will not break her trust."

"What about Charlie's trust?"

"I think Bella spoke to her father about trust Jacob but as I said I will speak to her, give her a message."

"Charlie let's go, he's not going to help you. Maybe we can find her without his help."

Carlisle looked at me for a long moment then picked up the phone and I thought he'd had second thoughts but then I heard him,

"Quil, I have Jacob Black here with Bella's father and he is threatening to track Bella down. I assume this is without your approval?"

I had lost, there was no way that Sam or the others would allow me to trace Bella, it was over.

I gave Charlie his crutches and opened the door for him,

"I'll tell Bella where she can contact you Charlie. I hope she decides to ring."

Carlisle

I waited until I got home and told Esme what had happened before ringing Bella. I knew she wouldn't see Charlie, how could she now without telling him the truth about our world? But I hoped she would agree to speak to him. As I explained Edward came in with Emmett and Rose who had made their way back home. We wouldn't refuse them because they were our children but things could never be the same between Rose and the rest of us. She knew this and was very quiet leaning on Emmett for comfort and reassurance. He had become more serious himself, no longer the light-hearted teenager of old, it was sad but inevitable. Edward had also learned that life didn't always give us everything we wanted. He had told me he seriously considered attending the wedding but Carmen rang him and they talked for a long while. She seemed to get through to him in a way the rest of us couldn't and he too had changed. He was more reserved, spent a lot of time alone and I know Esme was hoping he would find his mate soon because like me she was concerned he might decide to go to Volterra, to start his life anew, we could only wait and see. I rang Jaspers phone so he could be with Bella when she spoke to Charlie, if she did.

"So Charlie finally decided to ask about Bella".

"In fairness Jasper she did tell him she'd be in contact. I think he thought she might ring him at the hospital. He's at the Res now with Harry and Sue Clearwater."

"I'll tell her Carlisle but its her decision."

"I understand. How are you anyway? Enjoying your new life?"

"Bella delights in everything so how could I not?"

Bella

When I saw Jaspers face I knew he had something serious to talk about.

"Carlisle just rang. Charlie has been to see him wanting to know where you are,"

I shook my head,

"No its too dangerous and I don't think I want him in my life Jasper. Not this new one."

"Will you at least speak to him?"

I thought about this and sighed,

"Yes. I guess I should."

I rang Harry's number from memory, I'd found my recollection of my old life clearer than most vampires but then I seemed to be a little different all round!

"Hello?"

"Harry its Bella, is Charlie there?"

"Yes just a minute."

The phone line went very quiet for a few seconds then I heard my dads familiar voice,

"Bella? Is that you? I guess I should be congratulating you and Jasper. I'm sorry I wasn't at the wedding. Are you happy?"

"Yes very. How about you?"

"Oh getting there. The doctors say I should be OK eventually but I don't think I'll ever be fit enough for work. I'll have to find something new to do. Will you visit?"

"No I don't think so."

"Can I come see you?"

"Id rather you didn't dad for both our sakes. I'll ring you though."

"What if you have kids? You gonna stop me seeing them too?"

"There wont be any Charlie and I really have to go now. Please don't ask Carlisle to tell you where I am, I've asked him not to. It's over dad, we're both different people now. I hope you get better soon. Goodbye."

"Bella please..."

I put the phone down and turned to Jasper.

"Come on, lets hunt."

He took my hand and we headed out, this was my life now, the only one I wanted or ever needed.

THE END


End file.
